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More than 10 years and one billion dollars in the making, the Grand Egyptian Museum is the sort of big statement architecture the Pharaohs would surely have respected. Built on a 120-acre site – just 2km from the pyramids of Giza – and housing 55,000 objects, this will be the world’s largest archaeological museum, served by a purpose-built international airport.

Buildings such as this represent much more than a generous space for ancient artefacts. This is a prestige project that, it is hoped, will place Cairo very much back on the global map as the Egyptian government encourages the revival of mass tourism after a turbulent and damaging decade.

Within Egypt, it is hoped the grand museum will attract six million visitors a year, while helping to heal cultural divisions and restoring national pride. Will it work?

Presenter: Jonathan Glancey
Producer: Dom Byrne

(Image: The Grand Egyptian Museum design. Credit: Atelier BRÃœCKNER)

A Just Radio production for Ö÷²¥´óÐã World Service