National Museum of Egyptian Civilization marks third anniversary with special exhibition

For 30 days, the exhibition is attracting  history enthusiasts and art lovers at the NMEC's Egyptian Textile Hall.

The exhibition is displaying a rich assortment of artefacts, some of which have not been showcased before.

Ahmed Ghanim, CEO of the NMEC, recalled the globally acclaimed Golden Mummies Parade, on 3 April 2021, which attracted world attention. The parade saw the transportation of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies in a procession from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to their final home at the NMEC in Fustat.

The exhibition offers visitors a glimpse into the museum's treasures and the storied history of its location, nestled in the heart of Fustat, Egypt's first Islamic capital, Ghanim added.

Maisara Abdallah, the deputy of the museum’s CEO for antiquities affairs, said the exhibition features a rare map from the 1809 edition of "Description de l'Égypte," depicting Cairo's landmarks along with the museum's construction site. 

From Islamic pottery and ceramics to stamps from the Ayyubid and Fatimid eras, the exhibition presents a diverse array of historical artefacts spanning various periods, he noted.

Visitors can explore the museum's archival material, such as the opening invitations and gifts from dignitaries, alongside immersive visual documentation capturing excavation endeavours, the museum’s inauguration ceremony, and the arrival of the royal mummies at the NMEC.

Azza Rizk, head of the Education Department at the NMEC, said the special exhibition is showcasing artistic creations from cultural workshops held throughout the year at the museum. 

These workshops are meant to foster archaeological and cultural awareness while introducing people of all ages to a spectrum of artistic expressions, including textile weavings, Kufic embroidery, Fayoum portraits, decoupage, and macrame, Rizk said.