The official opening of the Great Egyptian Museum (Gemstone), which is scheduled to be held on July 3, has been postponed again. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a press conference on Saturday that the museum was not fully open until the last quarter of the year, citing “current regional development.”
Although Madbouly did not specify what development he was referring to, there was a clash between Israel and Iran after the Israeli air strikes on Friday last week. Iran quickly launched a retail strike.
“In view of the current regional development, it has been decided to postpone the official opening of the Greater Egypt Museum,” the gem explained in a statement on social media. A new date will be set “after coordination with all relevant authorities to ensure that the organization reflects Egypt’s prestigious cultural and tourism status on the international stage.”
Although Egypt was not directly involved in the conflict, the agency said it decided to postpone the formal inauguration to “national responsibility”, which hopefully is a more auspicious period.
“This decision also stems from Egypt’s national responsibility and its commitment to presenting truly special global events in an atmosphere worthy of Egypt’s civilization and its unique heritage, and in a way that ensures widespread international participation is aligned with the importance of the occasion,” the statement continued. ”
Since the museum plan was first announced in 1992, there have been many reasons for delays, including the recent political turmoil near Gaza, the Covid-19-19 pandemic and internal economic struggles.
However, the gem has been partially open, with 12 major galleries since late October 2024. In terms of economic generation and cultural tourism, it is considered a large part of Egypt’s future, involving a major reconstruction of the Giza Plateau. Perhaps more importantly, the museum marks a kind of reclaiming of Egyptian history among its own boarders.
