How to Get a Private Tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum Before It Opens Next Year | Travel + Leisure

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Egypt's Most-anticipated Museum Opens Next Year — Here's How to Get Inside Before Anyone Else

By Cailey Rizzo

August 12, 2019

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This picture taken on August 4, 2019 shows the 3,200-year-old pink-granite colossal statue of King Ramses II at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum under construction in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo.

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Egypt has one of the most impressive treasure troves in the entire world.

With civilizations dating back to at least the year 6,000 B.C., there are thousands of years' worth of artifacts that have been discovered along the banks of the Nile. And at least 20,000 of these artifacts will soon make their first public appearance when the Grand Egyptian Museum opens in 2020.

But you don't need to wait for the museum to open to see what it's got in store — if you're willing to shell out a bit.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is offering private, behind-the-scenes tours of the collections housed in its 5.2-million square feet for $250 before it opens to the public, according to CNN Travel.

An Egyptian archaeologist works on a pharaonic bed with animal figures which belonged to King Tutankhamun during a restoration process at the restoration lab of the newly-built Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza outside Cairo.

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The museum is located a little more than a mile away from the Pyramids of Giza.

Although the tour has a hefty price tag, the cost may be well worth it for fans of Egyptian relics. The tour is a four-hour-long journey into the museum's vaults, including a chance to step into the conservation lab to see into the museum's inner workings.

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Egypt is a country rich in culture, history, and mystical ruins.

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Visitors will be able to see the museum's 100,000 artifacts, about one-fifth of which are being displayed in public for the first time. Some of the most impressive finds include King Tut's clothing (and loincloth) and three of his funeral beds, a gigantic stone statue of Ramses II, and golden chariots.

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When the museum opens, it will only cost the equivalent of $0.60 to enter (10 Egyptian pounds). However, the museum also expects to draw about 8 million visitors each year, so the cost of a private experience might be worth it.

Those who wish to schedule a private tour before the opening should contact the museum directly.

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