Everything to Know About the Museum Transforming Egyptian Travel

If nothing fascinates like ancient civilizations, there’s something uniquely captivating about the pyramids of Egypt. “I can’t think of anywhere else on the planet with a greater density of palpable history: over 100 pyramids in the north, mind-boggling temples in the south, and plenty of tombs and museums overflowing with artifacts in between,” says Eric Monkaba, who customizes travel itineraries for private clients through his company TripScaper and formerly lived in Cairo.

Egypt is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, but it’s experiencing a tourism boom that’s very much of the moment. The country welcomed a record 14.9 million international visitors last year; expects to have 25,000 hotel rooms by the end of this year; and added a second airport—called the Sphinx—near the pyramids two years ago. A Mandarin Oriental is scheduled to open in the near future, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, which already has two hotels in Cairo, will add a third property there in 2025 and another in Luxor in 2026. There are also several new Nile boats, from the boho-chic to the ultra-luxe, including the Yalla Nile by architect Tarek Shamma, who has designed boutiques and homes for Christian Louboutin.

An immersive exhibit at the museum.

Louboutin, who only learned as an adult that he is half Egyptian, has both a home in Luxor and a boat on the Nile. “I was always interested in and drawn to Cairo, because it is a city with a lot of energy—and that energy comes from the people, and the Egyptian people are incredibly nice,” he says. The very biggest news in Egypt, though, is the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), an estimated billion-dollar architectural marvel on an over 120-acre site on the Giza Plateau, near the pyramids and about a 25-minute drive from Cairo. Billed as the “largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization,” it will reportedly display over 100,000 artifacts in its gallery space. If only visitors could see them all. The GEM, designed by Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, is only partially open; a grand opening has been rumored for years and postponed by the pandemic and various local and global conflicts. Those visiting today are able to book guided tours of the atrium, a soaring space anchored by a monumental statue of Ramses II that is over 43 feet tall and more than 3,000 years old. The tour also includes the six-story-high grand staircase, lined with over 60 artifacts, including royal statues and sarcophagi.

Set Nefru is a meticulously restored ship that offers bespoke tours.

“We refer to it as a destination. It’s a huge complex,” notes Saida El Harakany, the cultural programming director at Legacy Development and Management, which won the government bid to operate the museum. It only occupies about 30 percent of the entire site, she explains: “We have an auditorium, a cinema, art gallery spaces, exhibition spaces, and shops representing the best of Egyptian designers. You can come shop, eat, watch a movie, see a play, go to an art exhibition, and go to the galleries and learn about ancient Egypt.” A hotel has been completed, but the operator has not yet been announced. The art world is taking more notice of Egyptian artists, both at home and abroad. The first edition of Art d’Egypte’s art event “Forever Is Now” debuted in 2021, established by the French-Egyptian curator Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, with Pharrell Williams in attendance. The exhibition, held each fall at the pyramids, drew over 800,000 visitors last year. This year, the Egyptian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, featuring the work of artist Wael Shawky, drew widespread critical acclaim and was cited by some as one of the best of the Biennale, creating more buzz for the country as an emerging arts destination.

Christian Louboutin’s Luxor home.

El Harakany says that the GEM, even in its not-completely-open state, has already boosted the local economy, plus the image and brand of the country to the world at large. But perhaps more important is its effect on the citizenry. “[The GEM] is reviving the sense of pride for Egyptians in their culture and in their heritage, and connecting them to their history,” she says. “If Egyptians aren’t proud of their culture, how will anybody else be?”

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This article appears in the October 2024 issue of ELLE.

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Rima Suqi is a New York City-based journalist and producer whose bylines have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, HTSI, Galerie, Elle Decor, and many others. The Chicago native has authored several books, including the best-selling American Fashion Designers at Home (2010, CFDA/Assouline). Her travels have taken her to 43 countries, including Mexico, which remains a perennial favorite.