Cairo Museum Turns 116: Iconic structure is a primary Egyptian tourist attraction

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02:57

Egypt has celebrated the 116th anniversary of the Cairo Museum, which houses thousands of ancient Egyptian artifacts and monuments. This event coincides with the near completion of the Grand Museum, a new, larger, high-end museum located next to the Giza Pyramids. And it's casting a shadow over the future of the original antiquities home in Cairo. Yasser Hakim reports.

Tourism is a major source of revenue for Egypt and Cairo Museum is one of the main tourist attractions in the country. It receives millions of visitors every year.

SABAH ABDEL RAZEK GENERAL MANAGER, CAIRO MUSEUM "The museum was inaugurated on the 15th of November 1902. It was built by a French architect with classical design. It has one hundred and seventy thousand ancient artifacts displayed over two floors. The heavy monuments such as big statues, coffins and gates are in the ground floor."

The anniversary of Cairo Museum is celebrated annually but this year it's different. Question marks have risen over the fate of this building when the new Grand Museum is opened in 2019, at the Giza plateau. But the minister of Antiquities Khaled Anany has put an end to any speculations.

KHALED ANANY EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES "We are sending a clear message this evening that Cairo Museum will not die. We redisplayed 214 objects today. We will be continuing the revival of the museum to be one of the best in the world."

Anany also revealed future plans laid out for this iconic building in the heart of Cairo.

KHALED ANANY MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES, EGYPT "The museum needs an upheaval in its infrastructure and how artifacts are displayed. Basic services for visitors, ventilation systems and other areas also need to be improved. We received a grant from the EU to overhaul the museum in cooperation with UNESCO. It's a seven year project to remodel the museum according to international and UNESCO standards."

Over the decades the building has been run down, not receiving the proper maintenance. Thousands of artifacts have now been moved to the new Grand Museum leaving room for renovations here.

YASSER HAKIM CAIRO "The doors of Cairo Museum have been open for 116 years showcasing the treasures of ancient Egypt. And with the latest government assurances, it will be hopefully open for to receive millions of more visitors for decades to come. Yasser Hakim, CGTN, Cairo."