After over a decade of development, The Grand Egyptian Museum announced it would open 12 halls with exhibits in its main galleries starting this week in a trial run ahead of the still-unannounced official opening.

The mega-project, which cost over $1 billion to build, will open the select halls for 4,000 visitors daily. Though the opening date has been repeatedly delayed for various reasons, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, select sections have been open for limited tours since 2022.

According to the Egyptian state information website, the completed museum will display more than 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts. Al-Tayeb Abbas, assistant to the minister of antiquities, told the Associated Press that the trial run will allow the museum to identify any operational issues before the full opening.

He also stated that the exhibits across the 12 halls cover themes related to religion, society, and doctrine in ancient Egypt. With thousands of artifacts, the open-style halls are classified by dynasty and chronological order.

The eras exhibited in the main galleries include the Third Intermediate Period (about 1070-664 B.C.), Late Period (664-332 B.C.), Graeco-Roman Period (332 B.C.-395 A.D.), New Kingdom (1550-1070 B.C.), Middle Kingdom (2030-1650 B.C.), and Old Kingdom (2649-2130 B.C.).

A few areas are currently open to the public, including the grand staircase and the commercial area, which display monuments and artifacts like statues and sarcophagi. Other sections, such as the King Tutankhamun treasure collection, are expected to open at later dates.

The exhibits are also equipped with advanced technology and multimedia presentations that explore the lives of ancient Egyptians. One hall, in particular, will utilize virtual reality to explain the history of burial and its development.

“The museum is not only a place to display antiquities, but it also aims to attract children to learn about ancient Egyptian history … The museum is a gift to all the world,” Eissa Zidan, director-general of preliminary restoration and antiquities transfer at the museum, stated to AP.

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