Artifacts are displayed during the reopening of the Imhotep Museum at the Saqqara necropolis in Cairo, after the completion of its development, on December 3, 2023.
The Imhotep Museum, located in the Saqqara archaeological site in Giza, Egypt, has finally reopened its doors to the public last Dec. 3, following a 21-month renovation.
According to a report by Egyptian Streets, the country's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa, said that the whole project cost around $1.5 million and was done to holistically improve the viewing experiences of visitors.
About the Imhotep Museum's Significance and History
Its impressive collection comprises over 300 ancient Egyptian artifacts of unique archaeological significance, including bronze and wooden figures, decorated masks, stone stelae, and the world's oldest mummified remains of Egyptian royalty, all of which span across six different halls.
Among the institution's artifacts, one highlight is a coupled statue of the high priest Amenemopet and his wife, dating back to the 19th Egyptian dynasty.
In an interview, the museum's director Mohamed Youssef told Africanews that: "The unique objects were collected from the sites and tombs discovered at Saqqara and represent several dynasties."
Architectural features that are unique within the Egyptian necropolis site's step pyramid were also carefully maintained and restored. Specifically, the walls that are decorated with bluish and greenish tin-glazed and enameled earthenware.
A picture taken on December 3, 2023 shows the pharaonic statue of Imhotep, the designer and project manager of King Djoser's complex and father of stone built architecture, displayed during the reopening of the Imhotep Museum at the Saqqara necropolis in Cairo, after the completion of its development.
The institution itself was named after Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian architect. He was responsible for designing and building the country's oldest known pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is dated 27th century BC.
One of the museum's chambers houses an entire library showcasing French Egyptologist Jean-Philippe Lauer's original manuscripts and hand-drawn models of the step pyramid.
Back in 1990, the museum was first formed to properly store and provide care for incredibly valuable archaeological artifacts that are often climate-sensitive and require controlled environments, and in 2006, it was officially inaugurated.
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