Grand Egyptian Museum marks first anniversary with dazzling light show

The walls of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) came alive Sunday with dazzling lights and music on the opening night of the "Eternal Sun" show.

Marking the first anniversary of the museum's grand opening, the spectacular light show brings to life stories that have shaped Egyptian civilisation over the centuries.

"We want to tell the world that Egypt is still telling its history, using the latest technology, and always in a new way," said the show's creative director, Amr Abdel Nasser.

A year after its grand opening, GEM has welcomed around 5 million visitors, about 60% of them foreigners, according to the museum's CEO, Ahmed Ghoneim.

The $1 billion museum, also known as GEM, was touted as the world’s largest when it was lavishly inaugurated last year.

It’s home to nearly 50,000 artefacts, including the collection of treasures from the tomb of the famed King Tutankhamun, which was discovered in 1922.

The museum, located near the pyramids at the edge of Cairo, is expected to boost Egypt’s tourism revenues and help bolster its ailing economy.

"This museum doesn't just present artefacts, but it presents a different experience, a new experience for the visitor, whether Egyptian or foreign, through the use of different technological means," Ghoneim said.

The show begins after sunset and is set to run for six months