Best Museums in Cairo, Egypt

Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum, which is located in the Tahrir Square, is considered one of Cairo’s greatest cultural attractions and one of the oldest archaeological museums in the Middle East. The museum, established in 1902, displays an array of collections that cover Egypt’s history since the Predynastic period up to the Greco-Roman period.

The visitors of this museum will get the chance to view some amazing statues, jewelry, papyri, sarcophagi, and other ancient relics. Amongst the highlights in the Egyptian Museum are the Narmer Palette, royal collections, and antiquities from the ancient burial places of Egypt.

Moreover, its convenient location makes the Egyptian Museum easily visitable on a tour of Cairo’s attractions.

Grand Egyptian Museum

GEM (the Grand Egyptian Museum) has become one of the most important experiences in the museums in Cairo. Being situated near the Pyramids of Giza, GEM features contemporary architecture alongside with the massive exhibition of the ancient Egyptian culture.

The tour encompasses the following places: Main Galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Stairs, Tutankhamun Galleries, Khufu's Boats Museum and external gardens, among others.

It is especially convenient for the tourists who visit the Pyramids of Giza since GEM is located near there.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) provides a more comprehensive view of the history of Egypt compared to the museums that concentrate exclusively on the pharaohs. NMEC is located in Fustat close to Ain El-Sira, and it showcases Egyptian civilization in various historical eras. According to the official tourist website of Cairo, NMEC is the first museum of Egyptian civilization.

The Royal Mummies Gallery is one of the most popular exhibits in the museum that houses the mummified bodies of some of the ancient Egyptian kings and queens.

NMEC is a great place for those interested in learning about the evolution of the Egyptian civilization throughout history.

Coptic Museum

The Coptic Museum is among the finest venues in Cairo for learning about Christianity in Egypt. The museum has a wide collection of Coptic artifacts and exhibits the evolution of the Coptic art and history of Egypt.

It includes some amazing decorated manuscripts, icons, wooden work, frescos and architectural pieces from churches and monasteries. Its location also makes it an easy place to visit in addition to the Hanging Church and many other places of interest in Old Cairo.

Travelers having interest in religious history and the multicultural past of Egypt should definitely visit this museum.

Museum of Islamic Art

Museum of Islamic Art in Bab Al-Khalq is one of Cairo's top museums in terms of Islamic history and culture. Its collection includes artefacts from different eras of Islamic civilisation in the form of ceramics, manuscripts, textile, jewellery, wood carvings and decorative arts.
Museum of Islamic Art not only includes works of art, but also artefacts related to sciences such as medicine, architecture and Islamic calligraphy.
Location of Museum of Islamic Art in historic Cairo makes it perfect destination along with Islamic Cairo, Al-Muizz Street and Khan El Khalili.

Abdeen Palace Museums

For a totally different experience, one can also visit the museum collections within the Abdeen Palace in the heart of Cairo. The Abdeen Palace houses various museum collections related to Egypt’s royalty.

Visiting such collections provides a peek into the political history of Egypt and its monarchy, which is quite different from the archaeological collections at Cairo’s museums.

Museum of Modern Egyptian Art

Fans of art can visit the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art that is situated inside the grounds of the Cairo Opera House. This particular museum is dedicated to modern Egyptian art and gives an opportunity to witness another facet of the cultural heritage of Egypt.

This museum would be an excellent destination for tourists who wish to get away from ancient Egypt and experience the evolution of the country’s paintings and sculptures.

Umm Kulthum Museum

Musically inclined people can tour the Umm Kulthum Museum located on Roda Island. The museum is dedicated to one of the most renowned singers in the Arab world and has items such as personal possessions, pictures, clothing and others which have been associated with her.

It is more of an intimate view of the musical culture in Egypt and will be especially fascinating for tourists looking for an alternative Egyptian cultural experience.