Tarek Tawfik, the Grand Egyptian Museum director general says in an interview with ABC news that the GEM does not only target incoming tourists, as it addresses the Egyptian youth to educate them of their cultural roots, and raise awareness about Egypt’s heritage.
The GEM is considered the largest museum worldwide dedicated to the heritage of only one single civilization, including more than 100,000 artifacts from Egypt’s prehistoric times to its Greek and Roman eras.
Tawfik believes that its strategic location near the Great Pyramids of Giza enables the GEM to be a tourism booster. In addition, a new charter airport will be opened a short distance away from GEM so that tourists are more encouraged to visit.
The museum costs an estimated $1 billion, and is believed to indirectly benefit more than 15,000 people. It is expected to open in early 2019 and welcome up to 10,000 visitors a day.
The GEM is part of a bigger complex that will include an exhibition space, and movie theater. In an early partial opening in 2018, The GEM will exhibit the full Tutankhamun collection with 3200 pieces to be displayed for the first time and were discovered in 1922.
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