Cairo Scene

04/11/2025

November 4, 2025: The long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum welcomed an extraordinary 18,000 visitors - 7,000 Egyptians and 11,000 international guests stepped into what has already been hailed as one of the greatest cultural institutions in the world.

From the moment the doors opened at 8 a.m., streams of visitors filled the vast, light-drenched atrium, gathering beneath the towering statue of Ramses II before fanning out toward the museum’s galleries and terraces overlooking the Giza Plateau. Many headed straight for the much-anticipated King Tutankhamun exhibit and the newly unveiled gallery housing the Khufu Ship, where the sense of awe was almost palpable.

For decades, Egypt has dreamed of a museum worthy of its civilisational legacy, a space that could hold the weight of 7,000 years of history while projecting a confident vision of the future. Judging by today’s turnout, that dream has been emphatically realised.

The opening marks not just a milestone in archaeology or tourism, but a profound moment of cultural pride, a homecoming for the artefacts that shaped human history, and for the people who continue to carry that story forward.

04/11/2025

November 4, 2025: The long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum welcomed an extraordinary 18,000 visitors.

Seven thousand Egyptians and eleven thousand international guests stepped into what has already been hailed as one of the greatest cultural institutions in the world.

From the moment the doors opened, streams of visitors filled the vast, light-drenched atrium, gathering beneath the towering statue of Ramses II before fanning out toward the museum’s galleries and terraces overlooking the Giza Plateau. Many headed straight for the much-anticipated King Tutankhamun exhibit and the newly unveiled gallery housing the Khufu Ship, where the sense of awe was almost palpable.

For decades, Egypt has dreamed of a museum worthy of its civilisational legacy, a space that could hold the weight of 7,000 years of history while projecting a confident vision of the future. Judging by today’s turnout, that dream has been emphatically realised.

The opening marks not just a milestone in archaeology or tourism, but a profound moment of cultural pride, a homecoming for the artefacts that shaped human history, and for the people who continue to carry that story forward.

04/11/2025

The film, set in 2007 at Cairo’s Giza Zoo, follows a principled zoologist – played by Helmy - navigating shrinking resources, a tense home life and a wrenching offer to “adopt” surplus animals.

After a three-year hiatus, Ahmed Helmy returns to Egyptian screens.

04/11/2025

Inside the halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the full contents of Tutankhamun’s tomb—over 5,500 artefacts—will be displayed together for the first time. As Egyptians celebrate this momentous occasion, one person in particular is owed credit: Morcos Hanna Pasha, the ‘Minister of Tut’, whose efforts to prevent the theft of Tutankhamun’s treasures under British colonial rule made such an achievement possible.

Morcos Pasha's actions ensured that the full contents of Tutankhamun’s tomb remained in Egypt, paving the way for their display in the Grand Egyptian Museum a century later.

04/11/2025

Egyptologist and filmmaker Curtis Ryan Woodside has announced the upcoming release of his latest historical documentary, ‘Hatshepsut’, set to premiere on December 12th on YouTube and Amazon Prime US & UK, with additional streaming platforms to follow. Co-produced with Egyptologists Dr. Zahi Hawass and Sofia Aziz, the three-hour feature delves into the life and reign of Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful female rulers.

Curtis Ryan Woodside's latest documentary, focusing on the reign of one of Egypt’s most powerful female Pharaohs, will premiere on December 12th on YouTube and Amazon Prime US & UK.

04/11/2025

The opening night will take place at the Pyramids Panorama Theatre in Giza, marking the beginning of a cultural event that blends Egypt’s timeless heritage with global artistry.

The event is part of the ‘Pyramids Echo Festival’, running from November 24th to 30th and December 12th–13th, showcasing a diverse lineup of orchestral concerts and ballet performances.

04/11/2025

In the aftermath of a spectacle seen around the world, we speak to the AI director behind one of the highlights of the Grand Egyptian Museum's globally-watched opening.

In the aftermath of a spectacle seen around the world, we speak to the AI director behind one of the highlights of GEM's opening.

04/11/2025

A star is (re)born. This morning (November 1st 2025), within minutes of the official public opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the legendary King Tut has already drawn in the crowds.

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03/11/2025

: Ahead of the Grand Egyptian Museum’s (GEM) public opening, where more than 5,000 pieces will make up the biggest collection of Tutankhamun treasures ever displayed, the inauguration was marked by a spectacular high-tech display, including bespoke AI-generated videos. Led by the opening’s sole AI Director, Rami Emad - co-founder of R | Films - and his team, the journey to the final product was a demanding three-month sprint defined by creative reversals and immense time pressure.

The initial process began in June with a brief for three distinct AI sequences, including a piece on the ancient Nile and a main segment detailing the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb through the eyes of Hussein Abdel Rasoul. However, the ceremony postponement led to a crucial creative pivot. With a background in 3D art and visual effects, Emad is no stranger to client deadlines and the often gruelling back-and-forth that happens - but even he didn’t expect what happened next. When R | Films delivered their first interpretation, based on the brief they received, it was rejected; the team was forced to scrap the entire documentary-style concept and restart with much greater creative freedom, ultimately embracing a more dramatic, cinematic vision.

This re-imagining meant the entire production had to be completed from scratch in a highly condensed timeframe. Emad credits the team’s commitment and the power of the technology, noting that the project underlined the potential of AI in media, particularly for marketing and tourism videos. This technology, he explains, allows complex projects to be completed in significantly less time and with a much smaller budget compared to traditional production.

Reflecting on the final result, Emad believes the display sent a powerful message to the world about Egypt: what we have here is unique and something the whole world needs to see. The project ultimately succeeded in bringing Egypt’s rich heritage, which Emad feels had been overlooked in past years, to the global stage with a modern, dramatic flourish.

To read the full article, head to www.SceneNow.com (link in bio) or download the app.

03/11/2025

Between 1964 and 1968, the Abu Simbel temples were dismantled and moved piece by piece as part of a UNESCO-led campaign to save Nubia’s endangered heritage.

The late legendary photojournalist’s rare documentation of Abu Simbel’s monumental relocation in the 1960s is now part of GEM’s ever-growing archive of stories.