Grand Egyptian Museum opening delays over COVID-19

The Grand Egyptian museum, located near the pyramids of Giza will not be opened until 2021. The decision has been taken by President Abdel Fattah-al Sisi over the coronavirus pandemic.

“The president announced postponing the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum but we are still working hard to finish it technically and archaeologically as soon as possible. Of course, there was a delay in the last month and a half, like all projects’‘, said Dr. Khaled Al-Anani, the Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

Speaking to the press Monday, the Egyptian Minister for Tourism and Antiquities said incompliance with coronavirus measures, staff working on the project have been reduced for their safety.

“We reduced the number of employees to keep them safe. Today we are visiting the restoration lab and antiquities storeroom to assure that work continues. Behind me, there is a unique antique that was completely destroyed. This is the first time it is shown outside the tomb since it was discovered in 1922”, Dr. Al-Anani added.

The Grand Egyptian Museum has been under construction for well over a decade.
It is intended to showcase Egypt’s ancient treasures, while drawing in tourists to help fund its future development.

But the project has been subject to repeated delays. Several plans for its opening has repeatedly been scrapped.

The museum is a series of towering concrete halls that will eventually hold some 50,000 artifacts. That includes the famed mask of pharaoh Tutankhamun. The government said it has moved more than 5,000 objects from the collection of Tutankhamun.