Grand Egyptian Museum Opens After 20-Year Construction Delay

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Above: A view of sunlight pouring into the Grand Egyptian Museum's main hall, on Oct. 15, 2024, in Giza. Image copyright: Mohamed Elshahed/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

The Grand Egyptian Museum represents Egypt's triumphant reclamation of its cultural heritage, showcasing the nation's capacity to preserve and present its treasures on its own soil. This technological marvel integrates mixed-reality shows and digital storytelling to connect ancient history with modern audiences, proving that African nations can create world-class cultural institutions. The museum's opening signals Egypt's successful tourism revival, with visitor numbers rebounding to 15.7 million in 2024 and ambitious plans to double that by 2032.

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Government-critical narrative

Egypt's economic fundamentals remain deeply troubled despite the museum's glitzy opening, with external debt projected to balloon from $162.7 billion to $202 billion by 2030. The military's stranglehold on the economy continues unchecked, controlling 97 enterprises that stifle private investment and competition. While Sisi diverts attention with cultural spectacles, ordinary Egyptians suffer from crushing inflation and a currency that has lost two-thirds of its value, making this museum a costly distraction from urgent structural reforms.

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Establishment-critical narrative

The Grand Egyptian Museum’s opening is hailed as a national triumph but conceals an appropriation of Africa’s past. Modern light-skinned Arab Egyptians claim the pharaonic legacy while erasing its Black and Nubian roots. Any critique of this is branded "Afrocentric," a tool to silence debate, to fully absorb one of the most fascinating civilizations in human history. The museum turns history into spectacle, an arabized monument to how power edits ancestry for prestige and profit.

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