AYMAN SAID ABDELMOHSEN

archaeologist-conservator, museologist He is currently working at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Thesis title: Access to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo: Cultural policy, challenges and Development proposals The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, with its burnt-orange, neo-classical façade, has stood out as one of the most famous landmarks of Cairo city since its construction in 1902. […]

22/03/2016

archaeologist-conservator, museologist

He is currently working at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Thesis title: Access to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo: Cultural policy, challenges and Development proposals

The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, with its burnt-orange, neo-classical façade, has stood out as one of the most famous landmarks of Cairo city since its construction in 1902. It is home to 300,000 of the nation’s most important artefacts, from a long and unique span of Egypt’s history. Egypt with its wealth of ancient artefacts, European powers to profit from Egypt’s cultural heritage. This dissertation examines the history, problems and development of the Egyptian Museum in contextual setting that includes the Egyptian antiquities under Colonialism and nationalism as well, their roles and temptations. The thesis highlights the significant deterioration over several decades, due to cultural policies in Egypt since 19^th and 20^th centuries especially, the recent government interventions from Military forces in the field of Museology without any rights or experience to interfere. Cairo’s heavy vehicular traffic and pollution problems and generally inharmonious surroundings around the museum have significantly contributed to its decline. Many of the objects on display are now in urgent need of conservation, a problem that is compounded by the alarming lack of environmental monitoring and security systems in addition the exhibition galleries have been crammed with thousands of artefacts to accommodate an ever-growing number of new discoveries. It investigates and analyses whether Egyptians Managers at the Egyptian Museum the challenges faced by Egyptian museum today in an independent Egypt. The last chapter suggests possible and practical proposals for the development of the Museum can be easily applied.