Egypt sees tourism boom as thousands flock to new National Museum
May 23-CAIRO - As anticipation grows for the start of the 2026 World Cup, the national team that will call Spokane home for the duration of the tournament is seeing a surge in visitors and tourism in their home country.
Egypt is looking to capture its first win in the World Cup after earning five losses and two draws in its three previous trips. But buoyed by a new state-of-the-art museum and an ambitious goal to double the number of tourists traveling to the country, Egypt has seen a surge in popularity from those looking to explore the country's rich and fascinating history.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt reported that nearly 19 million tourists visited the country in 2025, a 21% increase compared to 2024. According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the country saw the second-largest year-over-year growth rate last year of any country.
A rise in tourism is a boon for an economy that is dependent on foreign visitors to provide a boost. Last June, the World Travel and Tourism Council reported that 2024 brought the highest contribution in tourism funding to the national economy, and projected that 2025 would surpass that record again. Tourism represents about 8% of Egypt's gross domestic product.
The centerpiece of the Egyptian government's strategy to increase visitation to its country is the Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened its doors to the public in November, more than three decades after it was proposed. Work on the project began in 2005.
The new museum was built to replace aging museums that previously housed many of the country's most prominent artifacts. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, which is located in downtown Cairo on the banks of the Nile River, is a fraction of the size.
The project cost more than $1.2 billion to complete and saw delays due to the pandemic, construction issues and the June 2025 war between Israel and Iran. Now open, the museum is expected to welcome up to 8 million visitors through its doors each year.
The sheer size of the building is impressive. At 5.4 million square feet, the museum is home to around 100,000 artifacts from 7,000 years of history and is the largest museum in the world devoted to a single civilization.
Its location on the outskirts of the Great Pyramids of Giza offers a stunning backdrop for the structure, and large glass windows allow for sweeping views of the pyramids on the inside of the building.
As they enter the museum's open-air Grand Hall, visitors are welcomed by a massive 36-foot, 183,000 pound sculpture of King Ramses II, the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty and one of the most powerful pharaohs of the New Kingdom.
The large hall also offers an escape from the scorching Egyptian heat, and temperatures that frequently reach triple digits.
From there, visitors then walk a six-story staircase lined with ancient statues that leads to the 12 main galleries of the museum and a view of the nearby pyramids.
The floor is sectioned into curated exhibits that detail ancient Egyptian life and the extensive preparations done to prepare royal deities for the afterlife.
Artifacts in the museum date back to the Pre dynastic Period, which began in 5500 BCE, through the Greco-Roman Period, which ended in 332 BCE. The museum offers a central location for thousands of artifacts that were previously housed in storage and museums across the country and world.
The museum's main attraction are two exhibits dedicated to King Tutankhamun, the first time all of the artifacts from his tomb have been put on public display since its discovery in 1922. During a May 14 visit to the exhibit, roughly 100 guests waited in line for the chance to get an up-close look at the solid gold mask of King Tut, which was moved to its new home from the aging Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
King Tut's body will remain preserved in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, which is about 400 miles south of the museum, and will not be moved
Time magazine recently listed the museum as one of the "world's greatest places of 2026" and said it is "expected to be a shot in the arm for Egypt's flagging tourism sector after years of economic and political turbulence."
The museum is expected to welcome around 19,000 visitors each year.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.