Nubia Museum
π Location: Aswan, south of the corniche on Sahari Road Β Β· Β πΊ Focus: Nubian civilization Β Β· Β ποΈ Tickets: ~140 EGP foreign adults
The Nubia Museum in Aswan opened in 1997 under the joint sponsorship of UNESCO and the Egyptian government, partly as a way of preserving the cultural heritage of Nubia after the building of the High Dam in the 1960s flooded much of the original Nubian homeland under Lake Nasser. The building itself is one of the finest pieces of modern architecture in Egypt β a low-lying sandstone complex by architect Mahmoud al-Hakim, set into landscaped grounds modelled on a Nubian village.
The chronological galleries span 6,000 years, from Predynastic rock art and the kingdom of Kerma, through the powerful 25th Dynasty ("Kushite") pharaohs who ruled all of Egypt from Nubia c. 750 BC, the kingdoms of Napata and MeroΓ« with their distinctive pyramids, the Christian kingdoms of Faras and Dongola, and into modern Nubian crafts, language and music. Highlights include a colossal statue of Ramses II, a perfectly preserved 4th-century Faras fresco of the Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace, and a full reconstruction of a traditional Nubian house in the gardens.
Highlights
- Colossal statue of Ramses II
- Faras frescoes (Christian Nubia, 4th c. AD)
- Reconstruction of a traditional Nubian house
- Kushite (25th Dynasty) royal pieces
- Beautiful modern building and garden
Visiting
- Opening hours: 9 am β 5 pm
- Tickets: ~140 EGP foreign adults
- Best time: late afternoon β gardens are loveliest at golden hour
- Nearby: Philae, Elephantine, Aswan corniche