Richard Mortel/Wikimedia

Grand Staircase at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, marking a major cultural milestone and the world’s largest archaeological museum.

GEM houses approximately 100,000 artifacts dating back some seven millennia, covering predynastic times and the Greek and Roman periods. The museum, which meets global standards, will serve as a significant attraction for those interested in Egypt’s rich cultural and historical heritage.

The GEM is expected to attract up to eight million visitors annually and significantly boost Egypt’s cultural tourism. Meanwhile, the Netherlands has announced it will return a 3,500-year-old sculpture to Egypt after determining it was likely stolen during the Arab Spring in 2011 or 2012.