CAIRO: The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which is in its final phases of construction, is set to open on March 15, 2015. Architecturally modern in design, the building spans 120 acres of land and is situated three kilometers west of the Giza pyramids. Construction on the massive project had been halted, but according to local reports, was getting back underway after a dispute with the original Japanese funders. Reports estimate the museum will cost a total of $550 million to build, financed primarily by a Japanese loan of $300 million. The rest will be funded by local and international grants as well as by the Egyptian government. The building was designed by Heneghan Peng Architects, based in Dublin, Ireland who were selected by an Architectural Competition announced in 2002. The front facade of the building will be a stone wall constructed out of alabaster, facing a large plaza. Strikingly modern, the architects maintain that the museum will still reflect the the heritage of Ancient Egypt. The new museum will also be fitted with the latest technology, with its conservation labs reported to be amongst the biggest in the world. Archeologist Zahi Hawass took to his blog to praise the labs, stating he was “impressed with the outcome of the project.” During the second phase of the project, several store houses, a power station as well as a fire fighting unite were built. The storage facilities are said have carefully regulated environmental controls to preserve the 100,000 artifacts that the halls are meant to display. Not meant to replace the existing Egyptian museum, artifacts will be divided between the two. Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud supervisor of the GEM stated that so far, 10,000 artifacts from various galleries have been transferred to the GEM, with another 80,000 expected to arrive before it's completion date. The Statue of Ramesses II was also moved to the Giza plateau in anticipation of the opening. The museum is estimated to receive five million tourists annually, growing to 8 million just two years after its opening. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/YLlgl Tags: Grand Egyptian Museum Section: Culture, Egypt, Heritage, Latest News
