Mon 20 May 2024 | 12:12 PM
Thousands of Egyptian visitors flocked to museums across the country yesterday to celebrate International Museum Day, which is observed annually on May 18th. In celebration of this day, museums offered free entry to Egyptian visitors, along with a variety of guided tours, cultural activities, and artistic and educational workshops.
Momen Othman, Head of the Museums Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized that the large turnout reflects the Egyptian people’s strong commitment to their heritage and culture. He praised the extensive efforts made to organize numerous activities, highlighting the role of museums as cultural and community hubs that connect Egyptians to their history.
Dr. Hesham El-Leithy, Head of the Antiquities Preservation and Registration Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the high visitor numbers at Egyptian museums are a testament to the success of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ efforts to increase public awareness of archaeological and cultural heritage and to promote cultural tourism.
Among the most visited were the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, the Museum of Islamic Art in Bab El-Khalq, the Coptic Museum in Old Cairo, the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria, and the Sharm El-Sheikh Museum. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir saw an impressive 15,000 visitors, while the Museum of Islamic Art and the Coptic Museum each hosted 400 visitors. The Greco-Roman Museum welcomed 800 visitors, and the Sharm El-Sheikh Museum saw 150 visitors.
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir organized several artistic workshops, scientific lectures, and programs, including one titled “Museums: From Ancestors to Descendants,” which showcased significant cultural and civilizational heritage through the museum’s artifacts.
At the Museum of Islamic Art, a workshop titled “Sciences of the Past” was held to simplify certain medical sciences related to the human body and its functions, connected to the museum’s exhibits, especially in the medical and science halls. Additionally, a temporary archaeological exhibition titled “The Proof” featured artifacts that had been the subject of significant research, alongside a seminar titled “Ancient Sciences in the Minds of Descendants,” organized in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Scientific Heritage at Cairo University, which included several lectures.
