Many of the 50,000 artifacts in the GEM were moved from the Egyptian Museum, a packed, century-old building in downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Others were recently unearthed from ancient cemeteries, including the Saqqara necropolis, another complex of pyramids and tombs about 14 miles (22 kilometers) south of the museum.

The Grand Egyptian Museum has taken 30 years to become a reality, but it is finally set to open its doors, with an equally grand opening ceremony.

Lightning effects depicting the sarcophagus Egyptian King Tutankhamun light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza, on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on November 1, 2025. — AFP pic

Thousands of years and conspiracies have all led to this: the Great Pyramid of Giza may have been built using the basic pulley technology.