The new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is set to be officially inaugurated in 2020, Ahram Online reported Monday (December 10th).
Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany made the announcement during a Sunday meeting of the parliamentary culture, media and antiquities committee.
The GEM complex occupies roughly 500,000 square metres adjacent to the pyramids of Giza. It is one of the largest museums in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilisation. The construction of the museum began in 2006.
"GEM construction slowed down following the outbreak of the revolution in January 2011, but in 2018 the construction began to move ahead again at a great pace, and 80% of the work has so far been completed," al-Anany said.
"So far we have been able to transport 45,000 antiquities to the new museum to be ready for display when it opens in 2020," he told the committee.
The museum will eventually contain more than 100,000 artefacts, reflecting Egypt's past from prehistory through to the Greek and Roman periods.
