Pics: Various archaeological sites await opening in 2019, know the details

CAIRO - 14 August 2019: The Ministry of Antiquities will soon complete the facilities for a number of archaeological museums, which are scheduled to launch during the remaining months of 2019.

Tanta Museum

The Ministry of Antiquities announced the completion of developing and restoring Tanta Museum in preparation for its opening at the end of August 2019.

Waad Abul Ela, head of Projects Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, told the press that the completion of the structural development and restoration of the National Museum of Tanta in the province of Gharbia will be in August, within the ministry's plan to develop and open closed museums throughout the country.

Tanta Museum
The Ministry of Antiquities exposed that 99 percent of the museum's exhibition work has been completed. Furthermore, the museum will display a collection of artifacts that includes a statue of architect Imhotep, an icon of the Virgin Mary and a statue of the god Osiris.

Tanta Museum will showcase 8579 artifacts from the Pharaonic, Roman and Greek eras.

Tanta Museum is the only archaeological museum in the province and was closed 18 years ago.

The development work inside Tanta Museum included the renovation of the museum building, its structural treatment, and the installation of two new showcases. The museum display committee also changed its display scenario.

The museum's building consists of five floors, the first floor is dedicated to services, the second and third floors to displaying various artifacts, the fourth floor consists of the administrative offices of the museum staff, while the fifth floor has a lecture and conference rooms.

Hurghada Museum

The Minister of Antiquities exposed that the opening of the Hurghada Museum, which is the first museum opened in partnership with the private sector, will be in the second half of September 2019.

The Hurghada Museum will display nearly 1,000 artifacts that will be selected from various museum stores in Cairo, which will be suitable for the area where the museum is located.

Baron Palace

The Ministry of Antiquities revealed that several projects will be opened this year, most notably the palace, Baron Empain, which will become an archaeological documentation center, and is scheduled to open in November 2019.

It was rumored that the Ministry of Antiquities had halted the development and restoration work at the Baron Palace because of the weak financial allocations, stressing that renovation works is resuming inside the Baron Palace.

Baron Palace
For his part, Head of the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities Gamal Mustafa exposed to the press that almost 90 percent of the restoration works of Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis area have been completed; where the structural consolidation of the roofs of the palace, restoration and finishing facades and decorative elements in it have been completed, in addition to completion of deficiencies of doors and windows and the removal of all ceilings and cornices.

Pyramid of Djoser

The Ministry of Antiquities aims to complete several projects before the end of 2019, including the Pyramid of Djoser, which will be launched during the month of November 2019.

Djoser Pyramid
Waad Abul Ela, head of Projects Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities clarified to the press that the remaining works is simple, such as completing some overrun items, treating and securing the vertical well walls, and completing the stages of securing the well's roof.

Sharm El Sheikh Museum

The Head of Projects Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities Waad Abul Ela also stated that the sector continues to develop the Sharm El Sheikh Museum on a regular basis, in preparation for its opening in 2019. It is scheduled to open to the public in November.

Sharm El Sheikh Museum
Abul Ela further pointing out that approximately 85 percent of the engineering work has been completed in the two halls that will be launched. Abul Ela also referred that remaining works include final finishing works, for example the electronics, pointing out that the development work at the Sharm El Sheikh Museum has been stalled since 2011, as the reason was the lack of financial resources for the project at the time, where almost LE 188 million were spent on its renovation works before January 2011. Clearly, the current expenditure has more than doubled. The Advisory Committee estimated that the project needs more than LE 800 million for its completion.

Kafr el Sheikh Museum

The Ministry of Antiquities revealed the opening date of Kafr El-Sheikh Museum, where currently the museums displays and showcases are being completed. The showcases will include artifacts from various eras, which contributes to enforcing the academic studies of Kafr El Sheikh University students who are adjacent to the museum, in preparation for the opening of the museum in December.

Kafr El Sheikh Museum
Kafr El Sheikh Museum is being developed in cooperation with Kafr El Sheikh Governorate. The museum stands on 6 thousand square meters in the land of Sana'a Park in Kafr El Sheikh City.

The governor of Kafr El Sheikh issued a decision to donate this land to the Ministry of Antiquities for the establishment of the museum.