Mummification Museum, Egypt

The Mummification Museum, situated on the corniche, or riverside promenade, in Luxor, successfully taps into all the mystical wonder that the average person associates with ancient Egypt. Think of Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, and you'll most likely immediately think of the tradition of mummifying kings and important people and then burying their bodies in immense tombs or pyramids. The Mummification Museum in Luxor provides a perfectly insightful illumination into the tradition; it makes for a must-visit attraction for anyone spending time in the city.

The emphasis at the Mummification Museum in Luxor is less on simply displaying mummified creatures and more on talking its visitors through the process. Also referred to as the Mummification Process Museum in Egypt, the museum’s exhibitions explain each step in the road to preserving a dead organism. The Egyptian’s didn’t just mummify humans: Cats, dogs and crocodiles were also preserved after death. Learning about the tools and liquids used in the process of mummifying at the Mummification Museum is certainly a fascinating experience, and it remains a favorite with all types of visitors to Luxor, particularly those interested in Egyptian history..

Having exhausted the delights of the Mummification Process Museum, Luxor offers plenty of other attractions. The Luxor Museum is another standout museum to be found here. In truth, however, most spend their time in Luxor exploring the outdoors. This is a city often referred to as the world’s best outdoor museum, so hop across the Nile, and spend happy days exploring the Necropolis, the Valley of the Kings, and the Valley of the Queens.

The Nubia Museum, Egypt

The Nubia Museum in Aswan, Egypt stands out as one of the very best museums visitors to the land will find. And, on the basis that Egypt boasts an array of excellent museums, including the Mummification Museum and the Luxor Museum, to name but a few, that’s really saying something. If you happen to be in or around the city, visiting the Nubian Museum at Aswan should be one of the very first things you plan to do.

The Nubia is an area in the south of Egypt that eventually segues into neighboring Sudan. The Nubian Museum looks at the culture of this area, tracing it along a timeline that runs from 2000 BC to the present day. Spread across three floors in a massive building that rises out of Aswan’s sand, this is an eminently impressive museum that matches well the wide scope of its subject matter.

Standout exhibitions at the Nubian Museum include granite carvings of the head of King Shabatka and the head of King Taharqa, as well as a tenth-century Byzantine fresco that pictures Christ surrounded by four evangelical symbols.

The Nubian Museum at Aswan is also well known for its simply outstanding grounds. Set on some 70,000 square feet of land, the grand-looking buildings are well complemented by beautiful gardens, which have been heavily sculpted and maintained to represent many aspects of Nubian life throughout the ages. Walking around these gardens is one of the best things to do at The Nubia Museum; it offers a relaxed learning experience that’s accessible for all the family, regardless of age.

Luxor Museum, Egypt

The Luxor Museum is widely considered one of the best museums found anywhere in Egypt. Sticking to its mantra of less is more, the museum’s uncluttered exhibition spaces combine with the sheer historical value of the pieces on display to create an eminently interesting and enjoyable attraction in the historic city of Luxor. Luxor itself is often termed the world’s greatest outdoor exhibition, thanks to the Necropolis and the Valley of the Kings, which lay just on the other side of the Nile—the Luxor museum, however, proves that you don’t have to stay out of doors to enjoy top-notch museum visits in this enchanting destination.

The focus of this museum in Luxor is Egypt through antiquity, with particular importance placed on pieces that relate to pharaonic Egypt. Visitors to the Luxor Museum in Egypt inevitably gravitate toward the relics from Tutankhamun’s tombs, though it must be said that the 283 decorative blocks of reassembled wall that once stood tall as the temple of Amenhotep also call for attention. Other noteworthy pieces in the collection at this museum in Luxor include a collection of New Kingdom statues and two mummified pharaohs, Ahmose I and Ramesses I.

If you like the sound of the Luxor Museum in Egypt, it’s also worth checking out the Mummification Museum, which is found in the same city. Spending a day touring these two excellent Egyptian attractions has to be one of the first things on any vacation itinerary for Luxor, particularly for travelers who are interested in Egypt's fascinating history.

Egyptian Museum, Egypt

Whether you typically enjoy museums or not, when perusing your options for Cairo attractions, don't miss out on the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, more commonly known as simply the Egyptian Museum or Cairo Museum. This museum shelters treasures known throughout the world by students of history and laymen alike.

Established in 1835 in an attempt to control the looting of tombs as well as to centralize the collection of the antiquities, the Egyptian Museum is one of the finest museums in the world. Few other places offer such a fascinating collection centering around such a universally interesting culture.

The pinkish red building housing the collection in present times was built in 1900. Currently, the Egyptian Museum Cairo holds a staggering 120,000 objects ranging from prehistorical times until the Greek and Roman times, arranged inside the museum in chronological order. While some find the inside of the Egyptian Museum a bit chaotic, the treasures inside are worth searching through, and between the museum interior and the surrounding square, this could easily be a full day's worth of activity.

The highlights of the collection at the Egyptian Museum Cairo are the treasures from the tomb of King Tutankhamun (King Tut), the collection of royal mummies, and the jewelry which is most often from royal tombs. From King Tut's tomb alone, the museum holds more than 3,500 items, approximately 1,700 of which are on display. The royal mummies include many pharaohs that a student of Egyptian history will recognize, most famously perhaps the mummy of Ramses II, the pharaoh who built the Abu Simbel Temple and is thought to be the pharaoh from the book of Exodus in the Bible. Many of the royal mummies located at the museum were formerly buried in the Valley of the Kings.

Getting to the Egyptian Museum Cairo is simple from anywhere in Cairo as it is one of the major tourist destinations. Located in Tahrir Square (also known as Midan Tahrir), the Egyptian Museum is in central Cairo. Tahrir Square contains several international hotels and is also the central hub of the Cairo Metro (Sadaat station). Many taxis gather here, and many buses stop through here as well. The square is relatively wide open and is one of the most fortified areas of Cairo because of the high tourist population, but also because of government offices, the American University in Cairo, and hotels here. However, also for these reasons, if there is unrest in the city, this might be a good area to avoid.

Over a million visitors from all over the world visit the museum each year, not including the nearly half a million Egyptians who also flock to see this astounding collection. Take a day to wander among the artifacts and explore the surrounding square - learn a bit about Egyptian history and then venture out to the other Cairo attractions - the Pyramids of Giza or perhaps a cruise on the Nile to see Karnak to the south!

Museums in Egypt

Of all the Egypt museums, the most popular is home to the famous King Tut gold mask and sarcophagus. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo displays more than 120,000 artifacts from the ancient civilization and is an excellent stop for travelers interested in the history of the region. This Cairo museum has by far the most extensive display of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. During one visit it is impossible to see everything, but all visitors should make sure they see the King Tut exhibit. The top floor of this museum in Egypt also contains The Mummy Room, where the mummies of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs are on display.

Egypt museums are dominated by the museum of Egyptian antiquities in Cairo. Many visitors enter Egypt by the Cairo International Airport, and for those spending a few days in the city before continuing their exploration of the country, this is an excellent attraction to visit. For people who are interested in the ancient Egyptian civilization, this museum serves as a great introduction. Many visitors choose to see the famous Cairo museum before moving on to tour temples such as those at Abydos and Dendera, the Giza pyramids, or the Valley of the Kings. Tours of the Nile River are also enhanced by a background of the culture provided by the most famous museum in Egypt.

Another of the best museums in Egypt is the Coptic Museum. In Coptic Cairo this museum holds the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts found anywhere on the globe. Anyone with an interest in how Christianity developed in Egypt will be fascinated by the art and artifacts of this museum. These works were once on display at the Egyptian Museum, but in 1939, the Christian antiquities were moved to the Coptic Museum. A mixture of cultures can be seen in these pieces, and influences from Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Ottoman, and of course Egyptian traditions can be seen throughout the museum. About 15,000 items are on display at this Cairo museum.

Another interesting museum in Cairo can be found in the Islamic district. This district is known for its winding alleys and beautiful mosques, and it is also home to the Gayer Anderson Museum, the restored Ottoman home that was featured in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Museums are an essential element of any visit to Egypt, as exhibits are expertly designed to provide visitors with a background knowledge of the history of the country, so you can best enjoy your vacation, no matter what other attractions you choose to see.

There are many other Egypt museums to explore during your visit as well. If you are spending an extended period of time in Cairo, other options for museums include a military museum, a museum of Islamic art, and a museum of Egyptian Railways. Other areas of the country also have important museums that are worth a visit, including the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria. Along the Red Sea Coast in Hurghada is a Marine Museum, which makes an educational supplement to the unparalleled diving opportunities found in the region and offers an unusual chance to combine a visit to a museum in Egypt with other activities.