Alexandria National Museum: A Journey Through Time
The National Museum of Alexandria, originally a palace, once served as a gathering place for Alexandria’s royalty and merchant elite. The museum now guides visitors through the city’s rich history, with exhibits arranged on three levels. The basement houses Pharaonic artifacts, the ground floor features Graeco-Roman treasures, and the first floor showcases relics from Egypt’s Coptic Christian and Islamic heritage. It also offers a glimpse into the valuables that King Farouk’s family left behind before the 1952 revolution.
History of the Building
Assad Basili Pasha, a wealthy businessman, built the Italian-style palace in 1928. Construction began in 1926, and Egypt’s president formally inaugurated the museum on December 31, 2003.
A lovely landscape with shaded trees and flowering plants surrounds the museum. You can easily see its newly painted white exterior from the street, with semi-circular double stairs leading to an attractive entryway.
The museum has utilized every available area, including the grounds. For instance, they converted the former garage for the American Consulate’s employees into a lecture hall and an open-air theater for nighttime concerts. The grounds have even hosted book and author receptions from the American University in Cairo Press.
Exhibits and Interior Design
The Alexandria National Museum has four large levels, totaling 3,480 square meters. The museum’s 1,800 items tell the story of Alexandria’s rich history, opening chapters from the Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic, and Islamic periods.
Significant exhibits include:
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A statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
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A female Pharaoh of Egypt.
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A collection of 162 gold and silver coins struck in Alexandria.
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Artifacts linked to ceremonial sacrifices, utensils, and costly jewelry.
Mummies on display
The museum also displays mummies in secret underground rooms. Other artifacts unearthed during underwater excavations are on show among the other Greco-Roman items. The museum has implemented new presentation methods for its displays. For instance, they have updated the lighting systems, fire alarms, and audiovisual equipment to properly illuminate the artifacts.
The museum presents objects from various eras in unusual hanging displays. They arranged the cabinets diagonally to avoid detracting from the building’s exquisite architectural features. The project’s immensity becomes clear when you realize that many of the palace’s rooms were small. The museum had to display 1,800 works of art in a limited space while still allowing guests to pass freely through tight doors.
The rooms are also well-lit. We have added a single object or group of artifacts, along with authentic historical plaques, to enrich the interior design. This museum allows visitors to compare and contrast religious cultures. Coptic pieces include icons of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the Last Supper, as well as tombstones and garments adorned with golden and silver crosses. Meanwhile, the Islamic collection features a collection of 162 gold and silver coins made in Alexandria.
A collection of beautiful jewelry, bejeweled gold and silver prizes, watches, crystal glasses, and vases, as well as gold-plated purses, rings, necklaces, and bracelets, reveals the extravagance of Egypt’s former royal family. The museum places everything in suspended cabinets so everyone can see it. They designed the exhibits to pique people’s interest in culture and maintain historical continuity.
Modern Facilities and Technology
The museum has been updated with a high-tech antiquities restoration laboratory and an electronic security system to protect the artifacts. It also has a subterranean audio-visual studio. Visitors can use computer programs in this studio to tour the museum and view each object from different perspectives. Let us put the Alexandria National Museum, a cultural beacon, at the top of the list.
