The Treasures of the Nile: 11 Must-Visit Egyptian Museums

For much of the 20th century, the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo set the bar for Nile Valley collections.

It was home to iconic treasures, including the famous golden death mask of Tutankhamun and countless artifacts unearthed from the boy king’s tomb by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

However, Egypt has always had far more ancient wonders than any single museum could ever hold.

In recent decades, a wave of new museums along the Nile has allowed Egypt to present a wider array of its rich cultural and artistic legacy than ever before.

The Ministry of Antiquities is gradually moving many of the Egyptian Museum’s priceless artifacts from bustling downtown Cairo to the expansive Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the outskirts of the city.

Situated in Giza, the GEM will showcase the entire collection of King Tutankhamun's treasures for the first time and will feature a grand causeway leading to the pyramids, lined with massive statues from Egypt’s ancient history.

In Aswan, the Nubian Museum, set within a striking sand-colored building that blends seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape, earned the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2001.

Along the Mediterranean coast, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina houses six specialized libraries and four distinct museums within a futuristic structure inspired by the ancient Egyptian reverence for the rising sun.

Inspired by the historic house museums of Europe and North America, Egypt is also transforming some of its heritage homes into museums, such as Cairo’s Gayer Anderson, which even made an appearance in a James Bond film.

Discover some of the top destinations to explore Egypt’s ancient treasures.

Egyptian Museum

Since its opening in 1902, the iconic pink palace overlooking Tahrir Square in Cairo has been the world’s leading exhibition of ancient Egyptian treasures, and it will continue to be until the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is completed.

The immense collection, featuring over 120,000 artifacts, spans a wide range of items, from towering statues and royal mummies to ancient papyrus scrolls, delicate jewelry, and even toys from ancient times.

Egyptian Museum, Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt; +20 2 33777263

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

This remarkable site is a modern revival of the legendary Library of Alexandria, which was destroyed in the third century AD during Roman rule.

It features four permanent museums dedicated to Egyptian antiquities, rare manuscripts, the history of science, and former President Anwar Sadat, alongside rotating exhibitions.

Opened in 2002, the museum complex was designed by a Norwegian architectural firm that triumphed over 1,400 other competitors in a UNESCO-sponsored design contest.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Imtedad Dr Abd Elhamed Sayed Street, Bab Sharq, Alexandria, Egypt; +20 3 4839999

Nubian Museum

This award-winning museum in Aswan is dedicated to the rich historical and cultural heritage of Nubia, a region spanning southern Egypt and northern Sudan.

Set on a dramatic hilltop with sweeping views of the Nile, the museum’s collection ranges from prehistoric artifacts to Islamic-era treasures, including items salvaged from the rising waters of Lake Nasser and valuable relics from the ancient city of Meroë.

Nubian Museum, Assuan, Sheyakhah Oula, Qism Aswan, Aswan Governorate, Egypt; +20 97 2319111

Museum of Islamic Art

Among the stunning pieces on display at the Museum of Islamic Art are a silk and silver horse saddle from the Ottoman Empire, a beautifully detailed copper table from Mamluk Egypt, and rare, ancient copies of the Koran.

As the largest collection of Islamic art and artifacts in the world, this museum’s holdings span the entire Islamic world, from Spain and Morocco to the Indian subcontinent and western China.

The museum’s collection includes over 100,000 artifacts made of wood, metal, plaster, ceramic, glass, and textiles, representing the diverse cultures of the Middle East and beyond.

Museum of Islamic Art, Doha; +974 4422 4444

St. Catherine’s Monastery

At the foot of Mount Sinai, the site where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, St. Catherine’s Monastery contains a museum filled with Christian relics that have been gathered since the third century AD, when early monks first made their pilgrimage to the area.

Among its priceless treasures are golden icons, intricate mosaics, vibrant murals, and beautifully illuminated manuscripts.

For those who undertake the long journey from Cairo, overnight accommodation is available within the monastery.

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt; +20 69 3470353

Coptic Museum

This collection in Cairo showcases the art and artifacts of Egypt’s Coptic civilization, which traces its Christian roots to the first century AD and the missionary work of St. Mark.

Many of the exhibits date back to the Roman and Byzantine eras, when Christianity was the dominant religion in Egypt.

The museum is set amidst lush gardens and six ancient Coptic churches.

Coptic Cairo, 3 Mari Gerges, Kom Ghorab, Old Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt; +20 2 23628766

Luxor Museum

Opened in 1975 as one of Egypt's first modern museums, the Luxor Museum sits on the banks of the Nile next to the magnificent Temple of Luxor.

Unlike the more cluttered Cairo counterpart, the Luxor Museum focuses solely on showcasing its most prized artifacts.

Among the highlights are a partial reconstruction of a rare Akhenaten temple, a life-sized statue of Amenhotep III accompanied by the crocodile god Sobek, and the mummies of Pharaohs Ramses I and Ahmose I.

Luxor Museum, Cornish el Nile, Luxor City, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt; +20 95 2370569

El-Alamein Military Museum

Situated on Egypt's northwestern coast, this museum recounts the pivotal 1942 battles that determined Egypt’s fate—and by extension, the future of the entire Middle East—during World War II.

British Commonwealth forces, led by Field Marshal Montgomery, defeated General Rommel’s Africa Corps. The museum's main attractions include vintage tanks, artillery, and aircraft from the era.

Nearby, the Commonwealth War Cemetery holds over 7,000 graves, and on the outskirts of El Alamein town, you’ll find memorials honoring German and Italian soldiers.

El-Alamein Military Museum, Marsa Matrouh Road, Markaz Al Alamein, Matrouh Governorate, Egypt; +20 46 4100021

Gayer Anderson Museum

Cairo is home to several historic residences, including two 17th-century homes at the Gayer Anderson compound in the Sayeda Zainab district—Beit el-Kiridiliya, or the 'House of the Cretan Woman,' built in 1632, and Beit Amna Bent Salim, constructed in 1540.

Named after the British major who restored these homes in the 1930s and 40s, the museum is filled with period furnishings and artworks from the era.

Pop culture tidbit: the museum was featured in the 1977 James Bond film 'The Spy Who Loved Me.'

Other notable historic house museums in the city include the impressive Abdeen Palace, the former residence of Egyptian poet laureate Ahmed Shawki, and the newly reopened Aisha Fahmy Palace on Zamalek Island.

Gayer Anderson Museum, Ahmed Ibn Tolon, Tolon, As Sayedah Zeinab, Cairo Governorate, Egypt; +20 2 23647822

Museum of Mummification

This small yet fascinating museum, located along the Corniche in Luxor, showcases the various tools and materials used in the ancient art of mummification.

The museum also features some examples of the art, including mummified animals and the likeness of an ancient high priest.

Museum of Mummification, Luxor City, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt; +20 95 2370062

Grand Egyptian Museum

After nearly two decades of development, the Grand Egyptian Museum is still under construction, but it’s projected to welcome visitors in 2020.

This massive complex sits atop the Giza Plateau, just outside Cairo, and will be connected to the pyramids by a two-kilometer-long landscaped causeway.

With an investment exceeding half a billion dollars, the world’s largest museum devoted to a single ancient civilization will house over 100,000 artifacts and showcase the complete Tutankhamun collection for the first time.

Grand Egyptian Museum, Alexandria Desert Rd, Kafr Nassar, Al Haram, Giza Governorate, Egypt