A New Reason For Women to Visit Egypt: The Astonishing Grand Egyptian Museum is Finally Opening in November 2025

The GEM is the world’s largest museum of antiquities

When I first heard of the concept of the Grand Egyptian Museum (or GEM) several years ago, it sounded like an impossible feat — to create the world’s largest antiquities museum, with 100,000 artifacts, on a site near the Pyramids of Giza. Construction began in 2005, but with years of political instability, the museum wasn’t completed until 2023. I visited the GEM in June 2025, and then, the opening was being planned for July, then delayed again until the fall. At the moment, it’s set for November 1, 2025, and after spending time there, I can honestly say it’s worth a trip to Egypt, especially for the King Tut Galleries and Khufu’s Boats Museum.

Whereas the original Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo feels like walking into a beloved, dusty movie set, the new Grand Egyptian Museum is breathtakingly modern, with high ceilings, an open design and ancient monuments at every turn. Visitors entering the Grand Hall are greeted by a 36-foot tall Colossal Statue of Ramesses II, one of Egypt’s most famous and powerful rulers. This 3,200 year old statue was discovered in 1820, broken into six pieces, at Mit Rahina near ancient Memphis, where it lay for several decades.

I spent five hours in the museum, and it wasn’t enough. According to some estimates, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is expected to significantly increase tourism in Egypt, with a projected 30-40 per cent increase in tourism and is expected to help the country reach a target of 18 million tourists by the end of 2025, up from 15.7 million in 2024. Plan ahead and consider joining a group tour or day trip to facilitate access. It’s going to be busy!