The Grand Egyptian Museum's New Library is Officially Open

The Grand Egyptian Museum has officially opened its library through a partnership between the French and Egyptian governments, housing a collection of 17,000 books in Arabic, English and French. The books made the journey from the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, a move first announced back in 2022 under then Minister of Tourism Khaled El Enany. 13,000 of them are already on the shelves, many covering Egyptology and museum studies. The rarest books, however, are kept instead in a secure room of their own.

“The library adds the scientific, academic and research dimension of the museum. When this museum was established, its founding law states that it is a cultural, civilisational, heritage and scientific beacon," Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum, said.

He was joined by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, who said described the library as a headquarters for research and a meeting point for scientists and researchers in the field from around the world.

The library's pull extends well beyond Egypt's borders. French Ambassador to Egypt Eric Chevallier said that dozens of people have called him since the Grand Egyptian Museum opened asking how they can come visit. "There is already a strong passion for Egypt in France, but the Museum is bringing it to a new level," Chevallier said. "We have had a huge rise in French tourism to Egypt.”

With the library now open, one of Egypt's largest collections of Egyptology literature has found a new home just minutes from the Giza Pyramids, placing research alongside one of the world's most significant archaeological landscapes.