Alexandria National Museum

Alexandria National Museum

Alexandria, the second largest metropolis in Egypt and the seat of the Hellenic Empire is famous for its share of Museums. The Museums of Alexandria has added charm to the quaint city. It has become an asset to Alexandria’s cultural and National Heritage. In the present scenario, this National Museum in Alexandria has become one of the major tourist attractions and finest specimens of art in entire Alexandria. The Museum is located in one of the restored palaces of Alexandria named Al-Saad Bassili Pasha Palace. The palace belonged to one of the wealthiest wood merchants in Alexandria and is situated on the Fouad Street.

The magnificent villa was sold first to the Americans and served them as their consulate. The place however was purchased back by the Ministry of Culture in 1997 and the present Alexandria National Museum grew up in its place.

Features of Alexandria National Museum

The construction work of the Alexandria National Museum started in 1926 and was officially inaugurated by the President of Egypt on 31st December, 2003.

The Alexandria National Museum covers a total area of 3,480 square meters and is built in the style of an Italian Mansion with four spacious floors. The museum is surrounded by a beautiful garden full of shady trees and flowering plants.

The National Museum which was formerly a palace, served as the meeting place for the royalties and merchant class hierarchy of Alexandria. Even the place has the prestige of being visited by the former Prime Ministers of Egypt.

The Alexandria National Museum currently has 1800 artifacts. All the valuable objects are the narrators of the rich history of Alexandria and open chapters related to the Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and the Islamic ages.

The valuable exhibits at the Alexandria National Museum include a statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian, Female Pharaoh of Egypt, a collection of 162 gold and silver coins minted in Alexandria and other objects related to ritual offerings, utensils and expensive jewelry.

Mummies are also shown to the common public but in secret underground chambers. There are some other exhibits which were discovered during the underwater excavations and they too are displayed at the galleries of the Alexandria National Museum with the innumerable Greco Roman Artifacts.

New methods have been adopted in the display techniques of the exhibits. The National museum has been up dated with recent lighting systems for proper illumination of the objects, fire alarms and audio visual equipments.

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