SHANGHAI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Egypt is now ready to open, Eltayeb Sayed Abass Adris, assistant minister for archaeological affairs at the GEM, said in Shanghai on Friday, adding that he is looking forward to undertaking exchanges and dialogues with Chinese museums.
He made the remarks while attending the 3rd Shanghai International Art and Science Forum at the Shanghai Art Collection Museum.
The highly anticipated GEM is located near the Giza Pyramid Scenic Area. It is a museum of ancient Egyptian archaeology covering a huge time span, with more than 57,000 artifacts collected.
The assistant minister said that certain areas of the museum, such as the lobby area and commercial section, are already in operation. "When the entire museum opens, you will be able to fully appreciate all the stunning tomb artifacts of King Tutankhamun and King Khufu," he added.
He said that Egypt and China both enjoy an acclaimed history and have had a huge influence on ancient civilization, a fact that provides a broad foundation for cooperation between the GEM and China's museums.
"We can tell ancient civilization stories together," he said.
He added that the GEM is ready to embrace more and more Chinese tourists. ■
