Cairo Museum - More than one visit?
 

I know two friends that travelled to Egypt and said she returned to the Cairo Museum a second time to look at all the treasures and a work colleague just returned and said you could spend days there.

I have a couple of days free in my schedule so I was just thinking about those days and thinking if other people visited the Museum twice or would of liked to it time permits.

I suggest you either hire a guide to take you through so you understand what you are looking at, OR in preparation for the trip get yourself one of the GOOD books on the subject to bring with you. The best is a black one with a picture of the King Tut Mask on it published by AUC Press. It's fairly large and fairly heavy to pack, but there is little reason to spend money on multiple tickets into the museum if you aren't interested enough to really understand what you are seeing, and it isn't well enough marked to do that without the extra books. You can buy the book across the street at the AUC bookstore when you arrive, or at your hotel bookstore, possibly. It's called The Illustrated Guide to the Egyptian Museum. There are podcasts too that can be downloaded for a fee. I have no idea if they are any good, but have seen spammers on sites like Fodors and Frommers advertising them. My only real gripe with them (besides not knowing if they are very good) is that they are done in the UK and as far as I know NONE of the money you spend for it will come back to Egypt.

We went twice because the visit with our tour group was only a couple of hours. If you have one full day that might be enough but even a half day wouldn't be enough for me.

It was interesting to hear the guide, of course, and know what we were seeing (because as CC says there are not good signs) but even just walking around without any guide or book was wonderful.

Make sure to see the mummy room.

I agree with Leslie that the tour groups spend far too little time in the museum. If you are as fascinated by Egyptian artifacts as I am you will need eight hours there. So, whether you can do it in one day or prefer to split it into two visits depends on your stamina. I also agree with Casual Cairo that some prior research will enhance your enjoyment.

MissGreen, if I recall correctly you are on a private tour that you've arranged with Lady Egypt. I travelled with LE recently on a private tour, I found the guides would visit sights at my pace (not theirs) if I wanted to leave the sight, that was alright, if I wanted to spend longer, that wasn't a problem either.

As for the Egyptian Museum, I found one visit was enough, went in the early afternoon and while the place was busy it wasn't too crowded to enjoy. I really don't care for museums in general, but I enjoyed the Egyptian Museum.

If you are concerned that you won't have enough time, I would arrange you itinerary so that there is little other sightseeing on the day you visit, so you are not rushed in the museum.

Re: The Illustrated Guide to the Egyptian Museum I just checked and its running over $100 at various book sites any other suggestion for a good guide? or what is appx cost in Egypt? Looks great but out of my price range. Thanks

I'm sure it is still way under $100. I bought mine years ago and paid LE60 for it. Even if it doubled in price here, that is less than $25.00.

I guess you need to wait and get it here although it would be good to have to read before you come. Oh well. Read fast after you get here. :)

Are there any used copies at Half.com or Amazon for less?

I just checked half and amazon and those ARE used book prices. UNREAL!!! Wish I'd bought hundreds of those books when I got mine for LE60. I could make a fortune now, IF there are actual buyers for them.
I have the phone number for the AUC bookstore and am just waiting for them to get to work and open up. I'll see if they have copies in house and what they sell for here next.

I just checked through my book connections here is the information on it. Pulbished May 2001, 631 pp.
flexibound size 12.50 x 22.00 cm
$34.95
LE 180.00
ISBN
978 977 424 608 1
For sale only in the Middle East

We returned to the museum a second time. We stayed about 2 hours the second trip. I enjoyed my trip with our private guide much more since he was a master at skirting around the throngs. By the way, it is almost impossible to actually reach the museum on foot because of all the construction and the difficulty in crossing the streets nearby.

One museum that we did enjoy very much was the Coptic Christian Museum in Cairo. It contains some lovely works of religios art and craft and is housed in a nice old Cairo building near the other Coptic sites. It is a beautifully designed museum and very well kept up. It is easily reached by subway.

Pat

Right on JoanneH - AUC bookstore finally answered their phone and confirmed their copy is 180LE. It's only tripled since I bought mine, but a good bit less expensive than the used copies in the states.

Miss Green - I can't recall your itinerary, but I have read trip reports where people visited the Museum twice - once before their trip to the VoK and then upon return to Cairo. Some people really enjoyed seeing it afterwards as well to put what they had seen in context.

Agree with the other posters about having a guide with you so you get a real sense of what you are looking at; also, it depends on how much you enjoy museums, what else you are planning to do in Cairo, and, I think, a lot of your decision will depend on what time of year you are planning to go. The museum doesn't have AC except for the King Tut room. Now matter how much you look Egyptology, the heat is going to get to you if you are planning a summer visit. Go early early in the a.m., if possible. Plan on paying extra for the mummy room & I think King Tut's AC room. You can get tickets for those rooms in the museum.

FYI - the King Tut room does not require an extra ticket. Only the Royal Mummy Room for LE100 per ticket.

Does anyone know when they plan on starting to move everything to the new museum being built in Giza? That's one move I wouldn't want to volunteer on, LOL.

Axel2DP - I think your guess is as good as mine. I may be really wrong, but all I see happening out there so far is a bunch of dirt being moved around. If there is a building going up, it is behind the big hill of sand that they've built.

Hi Miss Green. When I visited Egypt last year, I visited the Cairo Museum twice - once with my tour group, and then, hired a private guide to spend the morning at the museum. I'm returning to Egypt this year, and tour with Lady Egypt, and have scheduled one full day at the museum. I'm a huge history buff, so know this might make a difference. But, you will see so many amazing things! I think it is helpful to have a rudimentary understanding of ancient Egyptian history to understand what you'll be seeing at the museum: the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, and when the major sites you'll see fall within these categories. Knowing this helped me put everything else I saw on my trip into context (pyramids - Old Kingdom; Valley of the Kings - New Kingdom for instance). The Mummy Room is extra, but it is so amazing. To actually see Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut! You will hear and see so much relating to Ramses II and may see Queen Hatshepsut's magnificent in the Valley of the Queens. It is warm in the museum, with only certain rooms air conditioned, so you might take a small handheld fan with you. But to answer your question, I think it depends on your level of interest, but I think you'll be benefitting from having a more personalized tour with Lady Egypt, and can target specific areas of the museum that are of most interest to you so you may not need a second visit. Like the other posters have advised, it's helpful to have some understanding of what is in the museum before you go, so you can target those areas. There's so much to see, that it can be overwhelming...

I'm sorry. I meant, "Queen Hatshepsut's magnificent temple in the Valley of the Queens."

I think you really meant her temple on the "West Bank". The only things in the Valley of the Queens are tombs, and is hers there? I don't know.