Egypt today inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world's largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, in a historic cultural event for the country renowned for its rich heritage. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi officially opened the colossal museum complex on the Giza Plateau in a ceremony attended by 79 delegations from around the world, including heads of state, members of royal families, and government officials. In his speech, al-Sisi praised the opening of the museum as "a living testament to the genius of the Egyptian people." "The Egyptian people was and remains a builder of civilizations, a creator of glory, and a messenger of peace," he expressed, describing the GEM's opening as "writing a new chapter in the history of the present and future." According to the Egyptian president, the GEM is the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization, the civilization of Egypt. Spanning nearly 500,000 square meters, the museum will house an unprecedented collection of over 100,000 artifacts spanning thousands of years of Egyptian history. Its undisputed centerpiece is the complete collection of the boy king Tutankhamun, which includes some 5,992 pieces, among them his iconic gold mask and two coffins. The museum complex will officially open to the public on November 4. This invaluable collection will be displayed in its entirety for the first time since the discovery of his tomb in 1922. The museum sits on a site of great symbolic significance on the Giza Plateau, where the ancient pyramids are located, offering panoramic views of the pyramids and establishing a direct connection between those ancient wonders and the new monumental cultural institution. The inauguration ceremony, held in the museum's courtyard with the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in the distance, featured cultural and artistic performances celebrating Egypt's rich heritage. The festivities included musical presentations, a light show, and fireworks.
