Is it worth it?
For anyone who cares about Egyptian art, it is now the first museum to see. The building presents itself as the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, and the scale shows: colossal statues stand in open halls, and the Tutankhamun collection has its own galleries. What you need is a plan, because it is easy to spend the morning in the first halls and arrive at Tutankhamun tired.
The half-day plan
1. The Hanging Obelisk
An obelisk of Ramesses II, displayed raised off the ground, which gives the space its name. A good first view of the king who dominates the next hall.
2. The Grand Hall
The colossal statue of Ramesses II stands here, with a column of his son Merenptah and the colossi of a Ptolemaic king and queen. Stand back to take in the size, then walk close. The guide to the largest Egyptian statues puts him in context.
3. The Grand Stairs
A monumental staircase lined with royal and divine statues: a group of Ptah, Ramesses II and Sekhmet, a seated Sekhmet, a Hathor capital, the pyramidion from an obelisk of Hatshepsut. Climb slowly; it is a gallery in itself, and it leads to the main galleries.
4. The main galleries (a sample)
They cover Egypt from prehistory to the Roman period. Do not try to see everything: choose one period and look for objects such as the painted wooden funerary boat of Ukhhotep, with its hawk-headed rudders, or the mirror of Mesehti. The guide to Egyptian sculpture helps you read the statues.
5. The Tutankhamun Galleries
The heart of the visit, with about an hour of your half day. The solid gold mask, which lay over the king’s head and shoulders, shows him as Osiris and as the sun god, with gold for the flesh of the gods and lapis lazuli for their hair; the back carries a protective spell. Look also for the golden throne and the royal diadem. Photography is not allowed in some areas of these galleries.
6. Khufu’s Boats Museum
The last stop, included in the ticket: the boats buried beside the Great Pyramid, a direct link to the plateau outside.
What can you skip?
Skip ticket sellers outside the official site: the museum says it is not responsible for tickets bought elsewhere. Skip trying to see every main gallery in one visit. And skip a midday arrival if you can: start at 9:00, or come in the afternoon of a Wednesday or Saturday, when the galleries stay open until 21:00.
How long do you need?
Four to five hours for this plan, a full day if you want the main galleries in depth. Combine it with the pyramids, which are next door; see Cairo and Giza. Tutankhamun’s tomb, where his story began, is in the Valley of the Kings.
The Grand Egyptian Museum in brief
- Ticket
- Foreign visitors: adults (25 and over) EGP 1,570; students 13-24 and children 6-12 EGP 790. Includes the Tutankhamun Galleries, main galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Stairs and Khufu’s Boats Museum; non-refundable and non-transferable
- Booking
- Only on the official site, tickets.gem.eg, for a date and an entry slot (the slot limits when you enter, not how long you stay)
- Hours
- Galleries 9:00-18:00; Wednesday and Saturday 9:00-21:00; last entry one hour before the galleries close
- Time
- Half a day; a full day for the main galleries in depth
- Note
- No flash, tripods or selfie sticks; no photography in some areas of the Tutankhamun Galleries. Entrance from El Remayah Square, Gate 2
- Verified
- October 2026, on the official site. Prices and hours change: check before you go.
Questions
Is Tutankhamun’s mask in the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Yes, in the Tutankhamun Galleries, with the golden throne and the rest of the collection.
How long do you need at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Half a day for the highlights; a full day to see the main galleries properly.
Where should you buy tickets?
Only on tickets.gem.eg, which the museum calls its only official ticketing website.
Is the museum open in the evening?
On Wednesdays and Saturdays the galleries stay open until 21:00.
Sources
- Grand Egyptian Museum, official ticketing website tickets.gem.eg: opening hours and important information (October 2026).
- Grand Egyptian Museum, gem.eg: Plan your visit; Collection (Hanging Obelisk, Grand Hall, Grand Stairs, Tutankhamun Galleries, Main Galleries); artefact pages.
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