One year after Tutankhamun left Tahrir

What happened when Tutankhamun left Tahrir?

The Tutankhamun hall closed on 20 October 2025, the mask and coffins moved to the GEM in late October, and the GEM opened to the public on 4 November 2025.

The move had been running for years. By June 2025 only 26 Tutankhamun objects were left at Tahrir, among them the gold mask, the innermost gold coffin, the gold dagger and the canopic coffinettes. The director, Ali Abdel Halim, told Al-Monitor then: "All are set to be moved soon."

On 20 October 2025 the hall closed while the rest of the museum stayed open, Egypt Today reported. No exact day was published for the mask's transfer. The GEM was inaugurated on 1 November and welcomed the public on 4 November, the 103rd anniversary of the tomb's discovery. Tutankhamun's mummy did not move: it is still in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

How many people visit the Egyptian Museum now?

About 1,000 to 2,000 a day, down from 7,000 to 8,000 before the GEM opened, according to the director. The GEM drew about four million people in its first ten months.

The figure comes from Ali Abdel Halim, reported by Al-Monitor in August 2026. The first weeks were starker: The National counted only a few hundred visitors on one day in November 2025.

Out at Giza, the GEM "received around four million people" between November 2025 and August 2026, 60% of them foreigners, its CEO Ahmed Ghoneim told Cairoscene. The National reported up to 18,000 visitors on peak days.

For you, the drop is good news. Rahotep and Nofret no longer hide behind a tour group, and you can stand in front of the Narmer Palette as long as you like. Mid-morning coach groups still pass through, but the 9:00 opening slot is far quieter.

What replaced Tutankhamun at Tahrir?

The royal gold of Tanis, led by the gold mask and silver coffin of Psusennes I. The final Tutankhamun hall has no announced replacement yet.

Tahrir started preparing years ago. In 2022 a room that had held Tutankhamun's objects reopened with a new display of the Tanis collection, about 2,000 pieces, including the gold mask of Sheshonq II and rare silver coffins, Egypt Today reported. These are the treasures of the 21st and 22nd Dynasty kings buried at Tanis in the Nile Delta, found by Pierre Montet in 1940.

The star is Psusennes I: a mask of gold and lapis lazuli, and a coffin "made almost entirely from silver (a metal rarer than gold in ancient Egypt)", as Cairoscene put it. The same floor keeps the burial of Yuya and Thuya, Tutankhamun's great-grandparents, with their gilded masks and their mummies.

For the last Tutankhamun hall itself, the director promised in 2025 "a new exhibition on par with the significance of Tut's treasures". We found no announcement of what that will be as of 20 October 2026. Our highlights guide lists what is on show now.

What exhibitions has the Egyptian Museum put on since?

Small temporary shows and events: "From Green Papyrus to Eternal Art" opened in December 2025, and the library hosts talks.

The museum uses temporary exhibitions to give people a reason to come back. Al-Monitor lists "The Scents of Ancient Egypt Through the Ages", on perfume, vessels and recipes, in December 2024, and the international art show "From Green Papyrus to Eternal Art" in December 2025.

On 1 October 2026 the museum library held a seminar on Reem Bassiouny's books about Khedive Abbas Helmy II, the ruler who opened the building in 1902, followed by a tour of the galleries, according to Cairo listings. Events like this are announced at short notice on the museum's social media and the official museum portal, so check there in the week you visit.

What is planned for the 125th anniversary in November 2027?

A reorganisation of the displays, and proposals for evening hours, digital ticketing and an Egyptology research centre. None of the proposals has a start date.

The building was inaugurated on 15 November 1902. Hisham el-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told Al-Monitor that the Ministry sees the 2027 anniversary as "an opportunity to reintroduce the museum to the world following a reorganization of its displays".

The ideas on the table are bigger than a rehang: better lighting, climate control and fire safety; apps and augmented reality; cafés and events around the museum; and turning Tahrir into an international Egyptology research centre with fellowships, training, a specialist library and conservation labs. Evening opening is also on the list. Until it is announced, plan on the Ministry's hours: 9:00 to 17:00, tickets until 16:00.

Some groundwork exists. An EU-funded project with the Louvre, the British Museum, Turin's Museo Egizio and others has worked on re-displaying the entrance galleries and the Tanis treasures, and the museum has been on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2021.

Is the Egyptian Museum still worth visiting a year on?

Yes, as a second museum after the GEM, or as the first one if you love the Old Kingdom. Go at 9:00 with a guide.

Guests who have done both keep saying the same thing. "Even if you have seen the GEM, this museum is well worth a visit," wrote James Q. after a guided morning in January 2026. Leslie L., in March 2026: "Disregard comments suggesting this museum is old and dirty. Restoration underway and a wonderful collection. I recommend a guided tour."

We agree about the guide. Labels are uneven and the layout is a maze. The private half-day tour puts an Egyptologist with you for about three hours, ticket and pickup included. One thing to watch: a reviewer in October 2025 was taken to an essential-oils shop afterwards. Say no to shop stops when you book. The Tahrir vs GEM comparison helps if you are choosing between the two.

A private Egyptologist for about three hours at Tahrir, with the entry ticket and hotel pickup in the price.

★ 4.9 · 4 hours · from $65

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