Archive for December, 2011

The Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA) has decided to exempt bazaar, cafeteria and gift shop owners in museums and archaeological sites from paying rent for June and August. As part of the ministry’s move, any legal action that has been initiated against the owners of affected businesses will be stopped. The council also decided... »

Minister of State for Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim announced that the Avenue of Sphinxes will be partly opened to public by mid March. He explained that a 150 meter long section out of the 2,700 meters of the avenue will be ready for the public after restoration, promising to solve all technical and financial problems in... »

One of Napoleon’s most ambitious attempts to prove himself a cultural as well as military titan was to commission a team of scholars to produce the legendary Description de l’Egypte. This was the first thorough attempt to study the antiquities and geography of this ancient civilization, a vast artistic and scientific work that was... »

Egypt has three original copies of the historic book “Description de l’Egypte” (Description of Egypt) other than the one that was consumed by fire at the Scientific Academy in Downtown Cairo, Culture Minister Shaker Abdel-Hamid said. An original copy is stored at the National Library and Archives, another at the Egyptian Geographic Society and an... »

Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) announced today that a 50/50 joint venture with the BESIX Group has been selected for the award of the third phase of the Egyptian Grand Museum valued at approximately US$ 810 million. The project is 65% funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A joint venture between Hill International and EHAF... »

A fire that erupted on Saturday in Egypt’s Institute for the Advancement of Scientific Research amid clashes between protestors and the military has resulted in the loss of several precious manuscripts. The original manuscript of Napoleon’s historic “Description De L’Egypt” was reportedly among the losses. Nearly 30,000 books were reportedly rescued. The institute is considered... »

Egypt was an exotic land to nineteenth-century European artists. Painters, writers, and photographers traveled to Egypt to explore, document, and interpret its civilization and its newly discovered antiquities. Technical advances in the young art of photography encouraged direct observation and the advancement of knowledge. Forever in a Moment: Nineteenth-Century Photographs of Egypt, on view through... »

Minister of Tourism Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour announced Egypt’s plan for a spectacular celebration to mark the first anniversary of the January 25 revolution. He said the Ministry will organize the celebration to bolster tourism and mark a major political event that has won the world’s full admiration and respect. The Tourism Minister added that thousands... »

Egypt’s major Islamist parties have emphasized that tourism will remain a key priority for the country should they win the elections. The announcements aim to allay fears that religious conservatism could harm travel and tourism, which remains one of Egypt’s biggest industries, accounting for over a tenth of GDP and employing an estimated one in... »

Newly-appointed Minister of Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim said Egypt’s antiquities will be managed differently, focusing more on further developing the skills of Egyptian archaeologists. From now on, site leaders must periodically inspect archaeological sites and submit detailed plans for maintenance and development, including budgets, goals, obstacles, and the timeline of each project. During a with top... »