The GEM, Grand Egyptian Museum- the new attraction in Giza might be a few years late, but there’s never been a better reason to plan your next trip to Egypt.

Everything about the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) loudly announces “large.” The immense scale is evident well before you enter the cathedral-like foyer – the substantial weight of the structure clear as you travel along its lengthy boundary.

It becomes increasingly evident, as you near the row of ticket barriers, surrounded by a mix of guides and security personnel; while you walk across the large plaza that extends before the building, the sun reflecting off the stone pavement. As you enter that enormous atrium, you are greeted by a colossal statue of Rameses II, hewn from red granite.

In fact, “welcomed” might be the inappropriate term to apply to the most legendary pharaoh of the New Kingdom.
Rameses II was not known for offering a friendly welcome to those who bowed before him, and throughout a militaristic rule that lasted nearly seventy years (1279-1213 BC), many perceived his presence as unsettling.

However, if Egypt aimed to place any of its past pharaohs at the entrance of its new treasure, the modern Giza museum dedicated to its grand history, Rameses II was the sole option.

By reaching 36ft (11m) in this specific instance, he excels in the role superbly.

The statue is the most striking example of the extent of an institution that, with an impressive 490,000 square metres (5,300,000 sq ft) of available floor area, has been regarded as the world’s largest archaeological museum. Despite his impressive height, this Rameses II is at no risk of hitting his head on the far ceiling of the entrance hall.

However, it also serves as a reminder of the GEM’s delay. The statue was first discovered in the remnants of Memphis, the former Egyptian capital, in 1882. By the dawn of the new millennium, it was in urgent need of a second salvation – having been carelessly positioned beside Cairo’s primary railway station in 1955, and allowed to tarnish amidst a sea of exhaust fumes.

Nevertheless, while the intention to move it to the long-anticipated new display for the nation’s historical narrative was admirable, it only highlighted the postponements.
Ramesses traveled the 14-mile distance to his new residence in 2018 – only to be held up as the remainder of the museum did not come together around him. It will require another six years—a “soft launch” was declared last October—for the nearby galleries to become accessible to the public. It’s reasonable to believe that the man wouldn’t have reacted well to such a delay, you will agree with me on this.

Formally, the statue will need to be patient a little longer for its fans (the actual artifact, Rameses’ mummy, lies 12 miles away in the Giza-Cairo area, located in the nearly new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

In essence, the GEM is still not accessible – since it has not yet held the type of formal opening ceremony featuring presidents and speeches (this ribbon-cutting is scheduled for July).

The key features of the collection, the treasures discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb, have not yet been removed from their longstanding residence, the original Egyptian Museum located in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

However, don’t be wrong; the Grand Egyptian Museum, GEM is open and available – particularly if you have a guide to reveal its wonders.
In Here, we possess the complete narrative of ancient Egypt. From ancient times to the rulers of Greece and Rome.

It soon becomes clear that, despite its inability to stick to the timeline (the original plan anticipated the museum opening to visitors in 2013), the GEM has indeed been well worth the delay.
Despite Tutankhamun’s persistent absence, 12 galleries set up in chronological order guide visitors on a journey from 7000 BC to the fourth century AD.

THE SUCCINCT DESCRIPTION OF THE GEM

The adventure starts with the Grand Staircase. Appropriately titled, this serves both as a series of platforms for showcasing numerous marvels and as staircases to the upper levels.
Here lies the effigies of numerous stars from the pharaonic pantheon, such as Thutmose III, the giant of the 18th Dynasty (who ruled from 1479 to 1425 BC), alongside Hatshepsut, the powerful queen (and his stepmother) with whom he jointly held the throne for 21 years.

Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun’s grandfather (who ruled from 1388 to 1351 BC), commonly known as “the Magnificent,” stands tall – as does his son Akhenaten, father of the Boy King, whose rejection of Egypt’s gods in favor of a single god would later lead to his reign (1351-1334 BC) being labeled as heretical. Ramesses II reemerges, naturally – now, in direct association with Anath, the goddess of war, sculpted as a tangible force supporting his throne.

The GEM is not just about showcasing the greatest hits.

The 12 galleries in GEM illuminate lesser-known figures. Gallery 6 evokes Khenemetneferhedjet II, a queen from the 12th Dynasty, whose jewelry – necklaces made of blue faience and exquisite gems – reflects her sophistication nearly 4,000 years after she passed away (in 1879 BC).

Gallery 7 illustrates a social trend from the 13th century BC through oddly charming funerary statues of non-royal couples, with the wife’s hand consistently resting on her husband’s shoulder.

Gallery 11 in GEM leaps ahead to 358 BC, showcasing the ascent of Nectanebo II, the last indigenous Egyptian pharaoh, who was overthrown by the Persian invasion of his nation in 342 BC – cutting off the lineage.

However, the most poignant moment in the GEM is found in Gallery 2, where an alabaster sarcophagus holds the memory – and internal organs – of Queen Hetepheres I, who lived around 2600 BC.

Outside the GEM lies the Great Pyramid which glows in the mist, viewed through the panoramic window crafted to highlight its magnificence. It was constructed for Khufu, the cherished son of Hetepheres, whose remains may still be housed within it (they have never been discovered).

Nearly five thousand years distinguish this royal family from today, yet here and now, they are separated by just a mile.

So let me ask what you are still waiting for if not to book a flight and come savor these awesomeness.