The Egyptian Museum. My experience.
Written: Nov 18 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A unique exhibition
Cons: Not the best organization, overcrowded
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| aliante's Full Review: Cairo |
Review Topic: Sights & Attractions
The tour operator's bus (for that time I joined my group although I prefer exploring the destinations I go to on my own) brought us to the Sadat Square named so after the president Anwar Sadat. Honestly, this seemed to me one of the hottest and dirtiest places I've been to in Cairo. But that did not bother me too much as I was about to enter the Egyptian Museum.
Exposition.
This features more than 100000 exhibits (believe or not our guide) and some of them I knew too well from the bad reproductions on the pages of my history book at school. 100 rooms... It gave me the idea that I should return there on the two following days to see everything and so I did. I would advice strongly to do so (if you have time of course) because some rooms would be overcrowded and you may manage to see something only on the other day. I did not, however, found the museum user-friendly and convenient. Mainly for two reasons: not the best organization in the world (exhibits are put so that you almost can not see them if there are already some people near and the rooms might have been larger) and crowds of my fellow-tourists. Such jewels are to be carefully looked at and not just to be passed by.
Sights.
I could as well include all the list of the exhibits of the museum but I will only put the things I think a person should pay attention to if he has just a couple of hours to spend in the museum. The statues of AmenOfis III and Teia (they were the parents of Akhenaton) you will see without any doubt as they are situated in the first room people enter. Then the famous statue of Akhenaton himself carved half-man and half-woman (this is one of the most famous pieces of the collection). Toutankhamon treasures I am sure nobody would miss. Gold, masks, pharaoh's symbols of all the possible kinds - it is difficult even to remember and to name them all. In the rooms number three and number four (funeral mask and jewels) of the treasury there were such crowds that on the first day of my visit to the museum I was not able to see everything. I had just the pleasure of passing by these world-famous treasures. Anyhow, on the next day I had managed to see them.
Mummies. One of the most interesting exhibitions there. These rooms are visible from far for they alone have the atmosphere of somewhat gloomy darkness about them. Eleven mummies are to be seen, including those of the most glorified pharaohs such as Seti I, Rhamses II and Tutmos II.
A tip: after you exit the museum's building itself, in its yard you can see the tomb of Mariette - one of the most famous archaeologists of the world and the founder of the Egyptian museum.
Tickets.
You are charged ten pounds to enter the principal exhibition and the same amount if you are going to take photos. Keep your photo ticket with you all the time as the museum guards have a habit of checking it occasionally and if it's not with you you may be fined for 50 American dollars. A woman from our group was fined this was (they had not agreed to go with her and see whether her ticket really was in the bag she has left at the control). To enter the rooms with mummies you are to pay supplementary 30 pounds charge so take your purse with you. I was not alerted of this before the visit and it was not a pleasant discovery. Your photo ticket will not be valid in the rooms of mummies as it is not permitted to take photos there. The visit to the Toutankhamon treasury is included into the price of the visit to the exhibition.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
aliante
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Member: Maria
Location: Dubna, Russia
Reviews written: 71
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
My interests:
Travel, Art, Gourmet, Foreign languages, computers and Internet
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