You’ve seen some of the biggest museums in Egypt, so we decided to list eight underrated sites you won’t want to overlook.
There are at least 72 museums all across Egypt, but how many of them have you really explored? The Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization have more than enough material to see over multiple visits, it’s true. But even then, there are even more Egyptian treasures that can only be found in smaller museums throughout the country. Who knows what historical eras, forgotten teachings and fading traditions you could’ve missed out on? We’ve compiled a list of Egyptian museums that you may have once overlooked - but once you see them, you’ll never be able to forget about them… SIWA HOUSE MUSEUM | Siwa Oasis 🕒: Open daily, 9 ِAM - 2 PM 💵: EGP 10 This small museum is a faithful representation of an authentic Siwan home. Showcasing everyday life tools, accessories and outfits, the Siwa House Museum is made out of mud, palm wood and olive leaves which have all been traditionally used to preserve local homes from harsh weather. THE INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF NUBIA | Aswan 🕒: Open daily, 9 ِAM - 5 PM 💵: EGP 20 (Egyptian adults), EGP 5 (Egyptian students), EGP 140 (non-Egyptian adults), EGP 70 (non-Egyptian students) Colloquially known as the Nubian Museum, this museum is entirely dedicated to spotlighting Nubian culture in Upper Egypt. It was designed by Egyptian architect Mahmoud El-Hakim shortly after the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, which ran from 1960 to 1980. The museum contains 3,000 artefacts from pre-Pharaonic times to the Islamic era, as well as a library dedicated to Nubian literature. MALLAWI MUSEUM | Minya 🕒: Open daily, 9 AM - 3 PM 💵: EGP 10 (Egyptian adults), EGP 5 (Egyptian students), EGP 40 (non-Egyptian adults), EGP 20 (non-Egyptian students) The Mallawi Museum in Minya governorate bears documentation of the life of ancient Egyptians in Minya, along with a collection of 425 artefacts in its permanent exhibition. The collection is mostly made up of items found in local excavations. SOHAG NATIONAL MUSEUM | Sohag 🕒: Open daily, 9 AM - 5 PM 💵: EGP 10 (Egyptian adults), EGP 5 (Egyptian students), EGP 60 (non-Egyptian adults), EGP 30 (non-Egyptian students) Overlooking the Nile, the museum holds nearly a thousand artefacts that were discovered in the governorate of Sohag. With many items transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, the Gayer-Anderson Museum, the Coptic Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art, the collection spotlights spirituality across Egyptian history. MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART | Cairo 🕒: Open Sunday-Friday, 9 PM - 5 PM / Saturday, 6 PM - 9 PM 💵: EGP 10 (Egyptian adults), EGP 5 (Egyptian students), EGP 100 (non-Egyptian adults), EGP 50 (non-Egyptian students) Located in the historic neighbourhood of El-Darb El-Ahmar, the Museum of Islamic Art houses one of the world’s largest collections of Islamic antiquities in the world. Some of the museum’s most valuable items include a Mamluk key to the Kaaba in Mecca, and a textile bearing one of if not the oldest Kufic inscriptions known. MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | Alexandria 🕒: Sunday-Thursday & Saturday, 10 AM - 3:30 PM 💵: EGP 10 Tucked in Moharam Bek in Alexandria, the Museum of Fine Arts is a must-see for art enthusiasts, particularly those with a passion for Middle Eastern art. Its rare pieces encompass Baroque, Romanticism, Rococo and Orientalism themes. The museum also holds a number of events and workshops to support local artists. HELWAN WAX MUSEUM | Helwan, Cairo 🕒: 10 AM - 2 PM, Saturday to Thursday Founded in 1934 by Egyptian artist Fouad Abdel-Malek, the museum houses 116 wax figures, many of which depict prominent figures from Egyptian history including President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Salah El-Din El-Ayoubi, and Queen Cleopatra. ISLAMIC CERAMICS MUSEUM | Zamalek, Cairo Located in the palace of Prince Ibrahim in Zamalek, the palace’s rich Islamic architectural elements create the perfect setting to learn about Islamic ceramic art. The museum was inaugurated in 1998 and renovated in 2017 and includes an extensive collection from different Muslim countries showcasing the diversity of the traditional craft.
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