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Grand Egyptian Museum Photos: The Galleries and Highlights Inside
Grand Egyptian Museum photos start with Tutankhamun's treasures, the colossal statues and the six-storey Grand Staircase. This guide covers what to shoot inside and outside, the photo rules, the hours and the tickets: the entry ticket is $35 per person, and personal photography is allowed everywhere except designated areas.
Quick answer What to photograph and the rules in short
The museum holds about 100,000 artefacts across more than 500,000 square metres, and the complete Tutankhamun collection is shown together for the first time since its discovery. Personal-use photography is allowed except in designated areas, where the Tutankhamun Galleries ban photos. Galleries open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on most days and to 9:00 PM on Saturday and Wednesday, and last entry is one hour before closing.
Key takeaways
- Compare entry options on the Grand Egyptian Museum tickets page.
- See the museums and the plateau together on a Grand Egyptian Museum and Pyramids Tour.
- Travel light and get an expert eye on a Grand Egyptian Museum Private Tour.
- Start planning on Grand Egyptian Museum tours.
What are the best Grand Egyptian Museum photos inside?
The strongest interior shots are Tutankhamun's treasures, the colossal statues, the Grand Staircase and the artefacts along the main galleries.
The building opened to the public after its official opening ceremony on Saturday 1 November 2025, so most visitors are photographing these rooms for the first time. Work through them in this order and you cover the highlights in one pass.
The hanging obelisk on the entrance plaza. Photo: Slyronit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tutankhamun's treasures first
The complete Tutankhamun collection is displayed together for the first time since its discovery, and the museum is home to these treasures alongside colossal statues and 5,000 years of Egyptian history. The museum's ticket page confirms admission includes the Tutankhamun Galleries with no separate ticket. Plan your best camera work for the rooms before and after the Tutankhamun Galleries, because photography is banned in designated areas inside them.
Colossal statues and the atrium
The museum is home to colossal statues as well as the Tutankhamun collection, so the big figures reward a wide lens. The Grand Staircase itself is 6,000 square metres and rises six stories, which makes it one of the most photogenic interiors in Giza. The museum showcases a selection of its most eye-catching artefacts on the cultural achievements of Ancient Egypt, so shoot upward as you climb the staircase.
How long the photo pass takes
The museum's own group guided tour lasts about 2 hours, which is a fast pace for a photographer. For shots at your own speed allow 3 to 5 hours, the length of the Private Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with an Egyptologist and the King Tut Collection. Last entry is one hour before the galleries close, about 5 PM on regular days and 8 PM on Saturday and Wednesday, so arrive well before that to keep time for photos.
Sources: UNESCO, Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt State Information Service, Grand Egyptian Museum.
What are the Grand Egyptian Museum photography rules?
Personal-use photography is allowed except in designated areas, and flash, tripods, selfie sticks, drones and live streaming are not permitted.
The rules come from the museum's own ticketing terms, so they apply to every visitor with a camera or phone. Read them before you go, because the banned list shapes what gear you carry.
What you can and cannot shoot
Personal-use photography is allowed except in designated areas, and the Tutankhamun Galleries include photography bans in designated areas, so expect no-photo zones on the biggest highlights. Flash photography, tripods, selfie sticks, drones and live streaming are all not permitted. Do not touch artefacts.
Commercial use needs written permission, and corporate bookings go to booking@gem.eg. Bags larger than 40 x 40 cm must go to the cloakroom, which rules out big camera backpacks in the galleries.
Gear to bring
Bring a phone or a compact camera, a spare battery and a bag under 40 x 40 cm. Leave the tripod, selfie stick and drone at your hotel because they are prohibited. No outside food or drink is allowed, so plan water and meals for the museum's own dining areas, which the museum lists among its facilities alongside the Children's Museum and Education Centre.
Source: Grand Egyptian Museum.
What should you photograph outside the museum?
The museum stands at El Remayah Square on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road at the edge of the Giza plateau, so the facade and the plateau backdrop are your exterior shots.
Exterior photos work best early or late, and the museum's own sunrise tour runs daily from 6:30 to 8:30 AM by prior booking for exactly that light. The museum opens at 8:30 AM for the complex, so an early arrival beats the crowds at the facade too.
The Grand Staircase, six stories of statues between the Grand Hall and the galleries. Photo: Slyronit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The facade and the plateau
The building sits at the edge of the Giza plateau in Giza, Egypt, which puts the desert landscape in frame behind it. Shoot the entrance plaza before the midday crowds, then walk the exterior lines of the building. The complex opens 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM on Saturday and Wednesday, and no closed day is listed in the official hours.
Pyramid views after your visit
Because the museum sits at the plateau's edge, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Tour with Lunch pairs it with the pyramids and the Sphinx in 7 to 8 hours. A tour that covers both saves you a second trip out to Giza, and you photograph the museum in the morning and the plateau afterwards.
Sources: Grand Egyptian Museum, Grand Egyptian Museum, Grand Egyptian Museum.
What do tickets cost for a photo trip?
The entry ticket is $35 per person, the private guided museum visit starts at $25 per person and museum-and-pyramids days from Cairo start at $35 per person.
Tickets are sold only on the museum's official ticketing site at tickets.gem.eg, and the museum states it is not responsible for tickets bought elsewhere. Booking there offers an Admission Ticket or a Guided Tour Ticket, with visitor categories of Egyptian, Arab or Other Nationality, and Expatriate.
What your money buys
Official tickets are valid only for the date and time booked, allow a single entry and carry the visitor's name, so book the entry time that suits your photo plan. Tickets are non-refundable after purchase whatever the sales channel, except force majeure as determined by GEM. Children under 6 and visitors with disabilities enter free every day of the week with valid ID, though under-6s joining a guided tour must still pay the guided-tour difference.
| Photo trip | Price | Duration | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket, self-guided | $35 per person | 1 day validity | 4.8 (3,763 reviews) |
| Private tour with an Egyptologist and the King Tut Collection | $25 per person | 3 to 5 hours | 4.9 (332 reviews) |
| Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Tour with Lunch | $97 per person | 7 to 8 hours | 4.8 (5,281 reviews) |
| 8-Hour Private Tour of the Pyramids and the Museum | $35 per person | 8 to 10 hours | 4.9 (3,276 reviews) |
| Hurghada to Cairo by Bus day trip | $49 per person | 1 day | 4.9 (1,489 reviews) |
| Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo by Flight day trip | $240 per person | 16 to 18 hours | 4.9 (640 reviews) |
Sources: Grand Egyptian Museum, Grand Egyptian Museum.
Tours That Fit
These tours cover the photo highlights and the practical side in one booking.
Grand Egyptian Museum Entry Ticket
Just the timed ticket, sent by email and scanned at the gate: main galleries, the Tutankhamun galleries and the Khufu boat museum, no guide and no transport.
- Category
- Entry ticket
- Cancellation
- Non-refundable
- Operator
- GetYourGuide Tours & Tickets GmbH
Private Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with an Egyptologist and the King Tut Collection
Only the museum, with your own Egyptologist: the Grand Staircase, the Tutankhamun galleries and the Khufu boat, then free time. Tickets only on the all-inclusive option.
- Category
- Guided museum visit
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- The Egyptian King
Grand Egyptian Museum, Pyramids and Sphinx Tour with Lunch
The day most visitors book: the pyramids and the Sphinx in the morning, two hours inside the museum, lunch, and both entry tickets already paid.
- Category
- Museum and pyramids day
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- OceanAir Travel
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum worth it?
Yes, because it holds about 100,000 artefacts including the complete Tutankhamun collection shown together for the first time since its discovery, and it is open every day of the week.
For a photographer the case is simple. Nowhere else shows the full Tutankhamun group in one place, and the 6,000-square-metre Grand Staircase rising six stories is a photo subject in itself.
The Ramesses II colossus that greets visitors in the Grand Hall. Photo: Slyronit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where to see more before you go
Getty Images lists 2,435 authentic Grand Egyptian Museum stock photos, and the museum's own media page shows photo and video results across Collection, GEM Experience, the Children's Museum, the Education Centre, the Arts and Crafts Centre and Dining. Those galleries give you a preview of the rooms before you choose your entry time.
Sources: UNESCO, Grand Egyptian Museum.
What is the difference between the Egyptian Museum and the Grand Egyptian Museum?
The Grand Egyptian Museum is a new national archaeological museum in Giza dedicated to Egyptian civilization, its culture, society and artefacts, and it displays the complete Tutankhamun collection together for the first time since its discovery.
The practical difference for your day is location and scope. The GEM sits at the edge of the Giza plateau, which makes it easy to combine with the pyramids in one visit.
Why the Tutankhamun rooms matter here
Tutankhamun's treasures, colossal statues and 5,000 years of Egyptian history are the museum's headline sights. Admission includes the Tutankhamun Galleries with no separate ticket, so your entry covers every photo stop in the plan above.
Source: Grand Egyptian Museum.
How big is the Grand Egyptian Museum compared with the Louvre?
The Grand Egyptian Museum covers over 500,000 square metres and holds some 100,000 artefacts, a scale that makes it one of the largest museum complexes.
For the photo plan the size means distance. The Grand Staircase alone rises six stories, so comfortable shoes and a light bag under 40 x 40 cm matter more than a big camera kit.
The Grand Staircase on a late evening, when the galleries stay open to 9:00 PM. Photo: Matthäus Wander, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Louvre comparison and what it means for you
The 500,000 square metre figure describes the whole museum site, not exhibition floor space, so it does not compare like for like with the Louvre's galleries. Judge your visit by the highlight list above and by the gallery hours, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on most days and to 9:00 PM on Saturday and Wednesday.
Sources: UNESCO, Grand Egyptian Museum.
Can you walk from the Grand Egyptian Museum to the Pyramids?
The museum and the pyramids share the edge of the Giza plateau, but the museum publishes no walking route, so plan the hop by car or on a combined tour.
The safest plan is a tour that covers both stops with transport, which removes the guesswork entirely.
The easy way to do both
The museum itself runs four kinds of tour, all inside the GEM only and never combined with the pyramids, so a museum tour will not take you to the plateau. A combined day with transport, such as the 8-Hour Private Tour of the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum at $35 per person, entrance fees not included, handles the museum in the morning and the pyramids and Sphinx after, with time for photos at both.
Sources: Grand Egyptian Museum, Grand Egyptian Museum.
Grand Egyptian Museum Photos: FAQ
Where is Nefertiti now?
The Nefertiti bust is not among the highlights the Grand Egyptian Museum lists, which are Tutankhamun's treasures, colossal statues and 5,000 years of Egyptian history. Ask at the information desk on arrival for the current display list, or let the Grand Egyptian Museum Private Tour guide you to the highlights.
Can you take photos inside the Tutankhamun Galleries?
Photography is banned in designated areas of the Tutankhamun Galleries, while personal-use photography is allowed elsewhere in the museum except in other designated areas. The Grand Egyptian Museum tickets page sums up the rules before your visit.
How much are Grand Egyptian Museum tickets?
The self-guided Grand Egyptian Museum Entry Ticket costs $35 per person with one day validity, and children under 6 and visitors with disabilities enter free every day with valid ID.
What is the Grand Egyptian Museum official website for tickets?
The official ticketing site is tickets.gem.eg, and visit-gem.com redirects to it. The museum states tickets are sold only there and that it is not responsible for tickets bought elsewhere, and the Grand Egyptian Museum Entry Ticket on this site is the dollar alternative at $35 per person.
What time should I arrive for good photos?
The complex opens at 8:30 AM every day and the galleries at 9:00 AM, and the museum runs a sunrise tour daily from 6:30 to 8:30 AM by prior booking. Last entry is one hour before the galleries close, about 5 PM on regular days and 8 PM on Saturday and Wednesday. Compare Grand Egyptian Museum tours from Cairo if you want hotel pickup before opening.
Can I bring a tripod or selfie stick for photos?
No. Flash photography, tripods, selfie sticks, drones and live streaming are not permitted, and bags larger than 40 x 40 cm must go to the cloakroom. Pack light and see what the tours of the Grand Egyptian Museum include.
Which tour is best for photography inside the museum?
The Private Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with an Egyptologist and the King Tut Collection runs 3 to 5 hours at $25 per person, which leaves time to shoot at your own pace.
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