The world's largest archaeological museum has opened in Egypt: why you should visit.

The museum in Cairo took twenty years to plan and build. The project's budget was $50 billion. The largest archaeological museum houses nearly 000 artifacts spanning over 5000 years of history. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is arguably the country's most ambitious project since the Great Pyramids of Giza, writes Travel & Leisure.

Upon entering the museum, visitors find themselves face to face with a 3200-year-old, 11-meter-tall statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, towering over the sunlit atrium. Twelve galleries, already open to the public, feature numbered routes that sequentially tell the story of Egypt—from its predynastic origins through the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, to its decline during the Roman era.

There are also themed routes exploring ancient societies and spiritual beliefs through video installations, soundscapes, and displays of relics, including papyrus scrolls, mummy cases, and carved images of deities.

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A gallery dedicated to King Tutankhamun, scheduled to open at the end of the year, will display more than 1922 artifacts for the first time since the discovery of his tomb in 6000 in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. These artifacts include alabaster vessels, jewelry, and a gold funerary mask. Another wing, opening this winter, will house two restored solar boats of King Khufu (the Greek version of his name is Cheops), designed to transport the pharaoh to the afterlife with the sun god Ra.

"Egypt has always been a special place, but the Grand Egyptian Museum has further cemented Cairo's position as one of the world's cultural tourism capitals," said Philomena Shurer Merckol, co-founder of the tourism association Egypt Beyond. "A visit to the GEM is the perfect introduction to the temples and treasures you'll see in other parts of the country."

Beyond the antiquities, the museum offers much more. The gift shop sells collections from local designers, such as Egyptian cotton items from Malaika Linens and mother-of-pearl accessories from Naïa. The Kahhal Looms boutique offers magnificent hand-woven carpets, and the Zooba café serves classic Egyptian cuisine.

Immobilia Cairo

The new Immobilia Cairo complex has opened on the top floors of the Immobilia building—Cairo's first skyscraper, built in the 1930s. Its rooms and apartments combine Art Deco style with modern amenities. Guests are provided with a personal butler and driver, as well as a "little black book" with recommendations on shopping, dining, and galleries from Cairo insiders.

Khufu's

It's hard to find a more impressive view of the pyramids than a table at Khufu's Restaurant, an open, windswept spot on the Giza Plateau. Chef Mustafa Seif, who began his culinary career at his parents' street food stall, serves local dishes tailored to tourists' tastes. The most popular is koshari, a dish made with pasta, rice, and chickpeas. It's served here as a salad, and the soft-yolk eggs, encased in falafel pastry, resemble Scotch eggs.

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Anut

From basket weavers to glassblowers, Egyptian craft traditions stretch back centuries. At the Anut boutique in the leafy Zamalek district, designer Goya Gallagher collaborates with artisans from across the country to create hand-embroidered tablecloths, colorful glasses, and multicolored bowls and plates.

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