Best Egyptian Museum Guided Tours
The large collection of ancient art and artefacts on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is well worth a guided tour; if you want to know everything you need to know about these excursions, here I explain in detail!
Egyptian Museum in Cairo | ©V Manninen
The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is regarded as the most traditional and important archaeological museum in the Middle East and a must-seeon any tour of Cairo. It was established in 1902, with the intention of housing and protecting all the Egyptian art recovered up to that time and in the years to come. At over 100 years old, the collection inside the museum is, to say the least, astounding, not to mention that it ranks among the world's most important art galleries and museums.
Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and Bazaar Khan El Khalili Day Trip from Cairo
Explore the highlights of the Museum in one morning
An expert guide in Egyptology will meet you directly at the hotel to transfer you to the museum; the tour inside will take you through the most outstanding artefacts with detailed explanations of the artefacts that make up the collection. All in your language
It is a visit that no lover or curious of Egyptian culture should miss, to say that the immense collection of objects from all periods that can be seen in this space is impressive is an understatement.
A guided tour accompanied by an expert in Egyptology will help you to better understand this impressive culture, but above all to put it in a historical context that is really understandable for us who live in contemporary societies that are totally modernised.
Recommended if.... you want to make the most of your visit to the museum. It is especially useful for travellers who do not have time to devote a full day to the Museum because they will only be in Cairo for one or twodays. A guide will take you through everything relevant.
How much do guided tours of the Cairo Museum cost and how long do they last?
A guided tour of the Egyptian Museum in the city of Cairo will take at least 3 hours to complete; other tours, which include a traditional lunch or touring other important monuments such as the Pyramids of Giza, can take between 5 hours or up to 8 hours to complete.
The most economical tours with specialised guides average €30; depending on whether other attractions are included, this price can increase to over €50 per experience.
Audio guides to visit the Cairo Museum: A popular resource for travellers looking to save money are audio guides; unfortunately the Cairo Museum does not have official audio guides, some online platforms offer free audio guide resources but so far only in English and not really very complete.
Is a guided tour of the Cairo Museum worthwhile, and what are the advantages over seeing it on my own?
Paying for a guided tour is totally worth it, when travelling to Cairo you should be aware that the Museum of Antiquities is a very large museum and not very well organised. When touring on your own you may experience difficulty in finding the most interesting and outstanding pieces of art in the complex. It is possibly the place in all of Egypt where you may need the advice of an expert guide in order to get the most out of your visit.
The museum has an impressive collection of 120,000 pieces on display; the collection is so large that they have practically run out of space to add new discoveries. The lack of space has led to a bit of clutter inside the exhibition so an expert guide is vital to find the most striking pieces.
The best possible advice for travellers who will be in Cairo for 3 days or less is definitely to book your excursions in advance to the most interesting sites, so you can enjoy the experience much more and avoid a lot of hassle.
What types of guided tours are available at the Cairo Museum?
You will find various types of guided tours offered by different companies in Cairo. Although they may vary in terms of duration, price and activities, generally all available museum tours fall into one of the following categories:
- Half-day excursions: 3-6 hour tours are designed to take an expert guide through the most impressive of the museum's vast collection.
- Full Day Tours: Full day tours can include visits to other exhibition spaces in Cairo such as the Coptic Museum or the Museum of Islamic Arts.
- Cultural Tours: Cultural tours of the best of Cairo and the surrounding area include, in addition to the museum, exploring the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar and more. They usually last 8 to 10 hours.
- Multi-day excursions: In addition to the traditional tour of Cairo and all-inclusive multi-day excursions, itineraries include visits to cities such as Memphis, located southeast of Cairo, to see other important historical sites; some packages may include cruises on the Nile.
Are there guided tours for children and what are they like?
At the moment there are no specialised tours for children at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo; however, as it is one of the city's most popular attractions, there are plenty of guides who are experts in Egyptology and have an excellent command of the English language.
This means that if you visit Cairo with children you can easily integrate them into the traditional tour for adults and they are sure to be fascinated as they look closely at the mummified sarcophagi inside.
Main works you will see during the guided tour
Being one of the most visited attractions in the city, it is a must-see stop on any visit to Egypt; some of the must-see objects you will see during your visit are:
- Statues of Amenhotep III and Tiyi
- Narmer's palette
- Statue of Khasekhemuy
- Statues of Rahotep and his wife Nofret
- Seated statue of Pharaoh Chephren
- Triad of Mycerinus
- Funerary mask of Tutankhamun
- Sarcophagus of Tutankhamun
- Stone sarcophagi
- Funerary mask of Pharaoh Sheshonq II
When is the best time to take a guided tour of the Cairo Museum?
The best time of day to **visit the museum ** is around midday, although most guided tours schedule visits early in the morning to make the most of the day and allow the traveller to take in a greater number of activities.
Keep in mind that due to Egypt's generally hot climate, the best time to visit the city and possibly the city's museum is during the months when temperatures are cooler, i.e. between the months of November and April.
Opening Hours: The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is open daily from 09h00 to 18h00. Included in the entrance fee is access to the vast majority of exhibits available, plus the toilet area, gift shop and in-house cafeteria.
Tips for visiting the Cairo Museum with a guided tour
1. Book your tour in advance
If you want to secure a guided tour of the Cairo Museum in your language with availability on your travel dates I recommend you not to leave your booking to the last minute and book as far in advance as possible. You can book online by searching for suppliers through the HelloTickets search engine.
2. Avoid guides located outside the Museum
Outside the Museum you will find people who will offer to serve as guides during your visit; however, I do not recommend them as they are not certified or reliable guides. On many occasions they will take you through a few works to make a quick buck, skipping the more interesting works in the process and not providing any interesting explanations or details.
3. It's hot, especially in summer!
Although the internal collection is truly amazing, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo has some important areas for improvement, such as the lack of air conditioning in most of its facilities. Considering the overwhelming heat of the city, especially in the summer months, always carry water and, if possible, a hand fan.
4. Buy gifts and souvenirs at the museum shop.
Like almost all major museums, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo has a souvenir shop where you can purchase your merchandiser; although outside the museum you will find vendors who may offer you merchandise at a lower price, remember that by buying from the official museum shop you are helping to fund the institution as well as helping to preserve and care for the pieces on display here.
5. Do some research on the photo pass
If it is important to you to take photographs inside the museum, be aware that in most areas photography is prohibited; contact the tour operator or the museum ticket office on your arrival to find out how to obtain a photo pass
.
6. Do not touch the artefacts, do not lean on the display cases.
It is forbidden to touch the stone objects on view, or to lean on the showcases where smaller or delicate pieces are displayed. Although stone objects can withstand the outside climate well (they have done so for thousands of years), oil on your hands will decompose the material.