Akhenaton Museum

The idea behind the construction of the museum

In 1979, the Minya governorate made an agreement with Hildesheim to create an amazing museum and present the reunification period of King Akhenaton.

This made one of the most important museums in Upper Egypt because you will experience one of Egypt’s most important periods inside of it. There you will know the story of Tel el-Amarna city which was the capital of Egypt at the time and the place where King Akhenaton spent 17 years of his ruling period with Queen Nefertiti.

The museum’s construction period

Akhenaton Museum construction went through three different phases. The first phase started in 2002 when workers began laying the basics of construction but they had to stop for a while because of the revolution that happened on January 25, 2011. This was the second phase when the revolution had affected the country’s economic and security conditions which made the possibility of continuing construction very difficult. 

In the third phase, there was huge progress in the museum construction as the country gets into a stable period in the era of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, 2014. It is expected to reach the final stage of the Museum in 2021, then you will witness a great mix of ancient history and the perfect construction of modern Egyptians. 

The budget spent on the museum so far

A great museum like this surely has a very big budget to get a masterpiece in the final result. 

Akhenaton Museum spent more than 150 Million Egyptian pounds then the construction stopped after the revolution. Mr.Ibrahim Mahlab came in 2015 to revive the construction again with 40 Million Egyptian pounds, also Germany had promised with 10 Million Euros for the museum’s final works. All these expenses should make us expecting a huge and amazing building. 

What is the museum looks like?

The whole shape of the museum takes the form of triangles, it built on an area of 25 acres but the main building is on 5,000 square meters. Around the building, you can find the largest restoration center in Upper Egypt and about 19 bazaars surrounding the place. This museum was divided into 16 distinguished halls between these halls you will find a library, a conference hall, and a theater.

The belongings of the Akhenaton museum

In the beginning, the museum supposed to hold only the belongings of King Akhenaton and his royal tomb, but then they decided to add some of the historical antiquities on the first floor plus many of the belongings of the tombs of the Kings which are now located in Luxor Museum, the Ashmunian stores, and the great Egyptian Museum.

There, you will enjoy some important and beautiful statues and paintings for the king and his wife, Queen Nefertiti. All his belongings refer to the worship of the sun, as the first unified god in ancient Egypt.

What does the museum offer for students? 

Akhenaton museum won’t be an ordinary one just showing the artifacts of the king, there will be an archaeological restoration center made for students. All students of the Faculty of Archeology and Fine Arts will find the experts and specialists who will help them study the art of restoration. They will also have many activities and studies related to the historical era and the extinct crafts to enhance educational methods.

An amazing museum like this one is a must-visit place while your visit to Egypt. Get to know more about King Akhenaton and his spectacular story, you will witness all this by yourself from the belongings in the museum. If you are a student, don’t miss visiting the archaeological restoration center for more activities and help. Start preparing for your itinerary now and make sure to have the Akhenaton museum in it.