GEM to be inaugurated in last quarter of 2020

[Winged Isis]

Hopeful, but not holding my breath.....


GEM to be inaugurated in last quarter of 2020
By: Walaa Ali Wed, May. 1, 2019

CAIRO - 1 May 2019: Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat said Tuesday that the Egyptian Grand Museum (GEM) will be inaugurated in the last quarter of 2020.

This came during the minister's participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which is currently held in Dubai, set to be held on Sunday April 27 till Wednesday May 1.

On Saturday April 27, Mashat headed for Dubai on top of a tourist delegation to take part in the Arabian Travel Market. She stressed the importance of participating in the event in light of Tourism Ministry's strategy to attract more Arab tourists to Egypt.

Egypt is a favorable destination for the Arab tourists, she said, adding that 30 percent of Egypt's tourists came from the Arab market.

Several meetings will be held on the fringe of the event to exchange expertise and discuss ways to boost tourism among the Arab states.

About 56 participants will partake in the 600-meter square event, including 30 tour operators and 22 hotels, in addition to EgyptAir and Air Cairo airlines.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the largest archaeological museums in the world. Thousands of artifacts will be displayed during and after its launching, which will attract many tourists from around the world.

The museum is built on a land area of 117 acres. The project’s foundation was laid in February 2002. Construction of the mega project began in May 2005. A total of 100,000 artifacts are being restored to be displayed in the GEM.Furthermore, the GEM consists of 19 restoration labs, making it the largest artifact restoration center in the world.

In addition, the GEM consist one of the biggest artifact documentation units for selected artifacts worldwide. Some of the artifacts planned to be displayed in the GEM date back to the pre-Pharaonic dynasties era (pre-family era).

King Ramses statue was placed in the GEM’s lobby entrance to welcome the visitors. It is worth mentioning that the façade of the museum is coated with alabaster stones. Also, the walls of the GEM overlooking the Pyramids will have a glass panoramic view.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will cost $1.100 billion financed by the Japanese government through two loans worth $450 million.


Also.....


GEM to display King Tut’s tomb with hologram technology during 2020 opening

Mira Maged
May 1, 2019

Egypt’s Tourism Minister Rania El Mashat declared during a phone interview with Extra news Channel that King Tut’s tomb will be displayed via hologram technology during the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) by the end of 2020.

Mashat stressed that the whole world is looking forward to the opening of the long-awaited museum.

The public awaits the viewing of King Tut, to be shown with all of his belongings including his mask. Mashat mentioned that these objects are always showcased with high technology in the façade of the Egyptian booth at international exhibitions.

Breaking new ground, GEM aims to impress with King Tutankhamun displays that have never been shown before since the King’s unearthing in 1922.

Hologram shows are facilitated by virtual technology that constructs three-dimensional images from the diffraction of light into an image, making for a lifelike structure.

“We decided to focus on the quality, not the quantity; we should be present in various conspicuous exhibitions, but unique through distinctive promoting means,” Mashat said in the same interview, explaining that Egypt used to show up in many international exhibitions but not necessarily with a prestigious appearance.

The GEM’s General Manager Tarek Tawfik said in a previous interview with The Art Newspaper that the GEM accommodates two 7,000 square meter galleries revealing the king’s lifestyle–how he lived, dressed and ate will be shown alongside a complete collection of his precious belongings.

Egypt’s presence in international exhibitions now combines authenticity with technology, depicting scenes with virtual reality among other advanced means.

“Visitors at the Egyptian booths can wear 3D sunglasses to see themselves delving into Luxor’s archeological sites or diving in Egypt’s Red Sea,” she added.

Constructed on approximately 500,000 square meters, the mega museum is located nearby the Giza Pyramids. The GEM is expected to be one of the largest museums in the entire world, presenting a heritage devoted to a single civilization.

After several years of examinations, restoration and transportation of monuments, the GEM is expected to house around 100,000 artifacts from various periods of Egypt’s rich, long history.

Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities Khaled el-Anani said that approximately 20,000 artifacts would be displayed exclusively for the first time.


https://ww.egyptindependent.com/gem-to- ... 0-opening/

[carrie]

looking forward to it but not holding my breath for 2020.

[newcastle]

It’s taken almost as long as Khufu’s pyramid to build

Can’t see it attracting much in the way of international tourism....compared to comparable edifices elsewhere in the West. I hope the Egyptians think they’ve got value for the $1.1 billion cost....the Japanese loans will have to be repaid at some point.

I think such a vast structure dedicated to one civilisation will seriously strain visitors’ attention span !

[Winged Isis]

Tut will get them in, especially the tour groups. Regular visitors like myself will try it at least once, maybe more for special exhibitions.