Overview - Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum

CAIRO – 31 August 2017: The Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum, located in Giza, contains one of Egypt's largest and finest personal collections of valuable artifacts.

The museum was built in 1915. It was originally a palace belonging to Mahmoud Khalil and his wife, Emiline Lock, both patrons of fine art who had a taste for the aesthetic.
At four stories tall, the building itself is an artistic wonder on its own. Its eastern side was built to face the Nile River and features elements of the "Art Nouveau" style of architecture. The artwork is apparent in the metal and glass work of the entrance. The western side of the villa also features heavy European influence.

Mahmoud Khalil was both an Egyptian politician and sponsor of art in Egypt's culture, helping found the Society of Fine Arts Lovers alongside Prince Youssef Kamal. Khalil was the society’s chairman from 1942 to 1952.

Before his death in 1953, Khalil left the house to his wife, who in turn bequeathed the house to the Egyptian government upon her death. The house was then converted into a museum and was officially inaugurated on the July 23, 1962.

The first, second and ground floors of the villa were transformed into art galleries, and the northern side of the museum features a window painted by French artist Lucien Matte in 1907. It is just one example of the rich European art culture present within the museum's collections. World-renowned artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet, also have their works featured in the museum.

It is not just European culture that the museum highlights, however. One of its most valuable collections is a collection of small and incredibly rare boxes from Japan, considered to be priceless heirlooms. There are also vases from Iran, Japan and China, along with dishes from Turkey and sculptures by European artists, such as Rodan.

Currently, the museum has finished with its most recent renovations this year.