Scheme to redesign the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

This Special Feature on the Al Ahram Weekly website brings good news: the existing Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, Cairo, is to be rennovated and redesigned as part of Egypt's overall plan to display its heritage more effectively. It is impossible not to be fond of the beautiful old place, but it does make one's hair stand up on end to walk around some of its poorly maintained and displayed collections. I am very glad that it will receive the attention that it deserves.

Geared towards achieving the cultural, educational and institutional museums, Egyptian museums were divided into five main categories: regional, specialty, sites and non-Pharaonic museums. In addition to the three main Cairo museums: the Grand Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation and the Egyptian Museum (EM) in Tahrir.

With the building of the laboratory and the stores of the Grand Egyptian Museum overlooking the Giza Plateau, significant portions of the EM's original collections have been removed and the museum in Tahrir Square, regarded as the cornerstone of the museum network, will be dedicated to Pharaonic arts. To reach this goal the exquisite, neo-classical 19th-century façade of the EM will be redesigned, renovated and developed.

To take its place as one of the principal players in the revitalisation of Egypt's museums, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni and Italian Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli early this month signed a memorandum of understanding on the redesigning of the EM with a budget of 1,319,000 euros.

See the above page for the full story.