Huge crowds overwhelm new Belgian-built Egyptian Museum

The newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum near Cairo, built by a Belgian company, is already taking measures to manage overwhelming visitor numbers.

The museum, which opened in early November and houses the full collection of objects from Tutankhamun’s tomb and an 11m statue of Ramses II, has been inundated with crowds far exceeding expectations. From this weekend, tickets can only be bought for a designated time slot, and from December, all tickets must be booked online in advance.

Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, built by Belgian company Besix, officially opens

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will be officially opened on Saturday evening in Cairo, in the presence of Belgium's King Philippe and prime...

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Belgian construction company Besix, based in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, was responsible for the construction, lighting, air-conditioning, ICT systems, the transport of several key artefacts and the labelling for the displays.

Since opening, the museum has received around 19,000 visitors a day, putting it on track to become one of the most visited museums in the world. Only the Louvre in Paris and the National Museum of China in Beijing attract higher daily visitor numbers.

^{​Visitors at the Grand Egyptian Museum © PHOTO KHALED DESOUKI / AFP}

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