Alexandria National Museum / Egypt

Alexandria National Museum / Egypt The Alexandria National Museum is considered one of the most important Museums in Alexandria, as it is a unique archetectual Masterpiece, and preserves the History of every Period that the bride of the Meditteranean went through. It was called the bride of the Meditteranean because of the Shipping Industry in Alexandria. The Museum contains an assortment of of antiquities which dates back to the Ancient Egyptian Civilization and the Ptolemaic Eram which passed through beautiful Coptic Art, and ending with the Era of the Family Muhammad Ali Pasha, the founder of Modern Egypt.It was classified as one of the Regional Museums . and consists of three floors which contains many artifacts and amounting to more than one thousand eight hundred distinctive pieces, dating back to the different Historical Stages of the Egyptian Civilization, starting from the Old Kingdom period to the Modern period. What makes the Museum stand out is it’s display of a unique and impressive collection of Sunken Gold Coins dating back to the period of Louis XV and Louis XVI, which were uncovered from the Abu Qir Sea Bay. In this section there is also a Group of Weapons dating back to the Byzantine Islamic Era. The National Museum of Alexandria which was formerly a Palace , was used as a Meeting Place for the Royalties and Merchant Class hierarchy of Alexandria.The Museum has three Levels , the Basement which houses the Pharaonic artifacts, the Ground Level which displays the Graeco Roman Treasures and the first floor which contains relics from the Egypt’s Coptic Christian, and Islamic Heritage, including some insights into the valubles left behind by King Farouk’s Family which was before the nineteen fifty two Revolution. The construction is an Italian style Mansion built in nineteen twenty eight by Assad Basili Pasha, who was a wealthy Merchant. It currently has one thousand eight hundred artifacts. All of the valuble objects are of the Rich History of Alexandria and an open Chapter relating to the Pharonic , Roman, Coptic and Islamic Eras. The Alexandria National Musum spreads over a total area of three thousand, four hundred and eighty square meters, and is built in the style of an Italian Mansion with four spacious floors. The Museum is surrounded by a glorious Garden, full of Shady Trees and Flowering Plants. It has a freshly painted Façade in gleaming White, with a semi circular double stairway which leads to the elegant Doorway, which is clearly visible from the Street. A Hall which is in the Basement has been transformed into an audio-visual Workshop in which Visitors can tour the Museum via Computer programmes which display each item from a variety of angles.Use has been made of every available space including the Grounds, and the Old Garage for the American Consulate Staff has been converted into a Lecture Hall and an Open Air Theatre for evening Performances. However the Grounds have already been used for one of the American University in Cairo press book and Author receptions. The construction work for the Alexandria National Museum began in nineteen twenty six, and was officially inaugurated by the President of Egypt on the thirty first of December two thousand and three. The valuable exhibits at the Alexandria National Museum includes a Statue of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, Female Pharaoh of Egypt, a collection of one hundred and sixty two Gold and Silver Coins minted in Alexandria and other objects related to the Ritual Offerings, utensils and expensive Jewlry. Mummies are also shown to the Public but in a secret underground chamber. There are some other Exhibits which were discovered during the underwater excavations and they too are displayed at the Galleries of the Alexandria National Museum along with the innumerable Greco Roman Artifacts. However new methods have been adopted in the display technics of the exhibits. The National Museum has been updated with recent lighting systems for proper illuminations of the objects , fire alarms and audio-visual equipements. Alexandria National Museum is a twentieth Century Mansion in Central Alexandria and a state of the art Museum in which objects of all epochs are displayed in uniquely suspended Showcases. The section of the book on the founding of Alexandria is appropriate and interesting, it would obviously of course been an easy matter to strip the interior of the Palace and re design to accommodate Galleries suitable for the display of fine objects. The objects on display are in digitally placed cabinets that do not detract from the elegant archetectual features of the building considering that many of the rooms in the Palace were small, and that approx.. one thousand eight hundred works of Art were to go on display in a confined area, although space must be allowed for free movement of Visitors through narrow Doorways it is noticeable that the enormity of the Task can be realized. The Chambers through which the cabinets pass are likewise lit to advantage, and selected objects or Groups of objects have been placed to enhance the interior design along with accurate Historical Plaques. The Museum also provides an opportunity to compare Religious Traditions. Coptic Items include Icons of Jesus and the Virgin Mary and the Last Supper, as well as Tombstones and Clothing decorated with Golden and Silver Crosses, while among the Islamic objects are a collection of one hundred and sixty two Gold and Silver Coins minted in Alexandria. The spectacle of Egypt’s former Royal Family is revealed in a collection of magnificent Jewelry , including Gold and Silver Awards , watches, crystal glasses and vases, not to mention Gold Plated handbags, rings, necklaces and bracelets. All of these are displayed in suspended cabinets so that they can be viewed from all sides. They are designed to stimulate the Historical and cultural interest of continuity. In the Present Day no Modern Museum is complete without it’s high tech restoration labaoratory for antiquities and an electronic security system to preserve them, so high on this list would be the Alexandria National Museum which is a haven of Culture. Why not book one of our Alexandria Excursions and visit the best attractions and Tours.