As International Museum Day approaches on May 18, Egypt’s museum leaders are emphasizing the role of cultural institutions in promoting unity amid growing global divisions. Osama Abdel Wareth, president of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Egypt, described museums as increasingly active platforms for dialogue and understanding rather than mere custodians of history.
The annual event, established in 1977 and coordinated by ICOM, highlights key challenges and themes relevant to museums worldwide. This year’s focus—“Museums Uniting a Divided World”—resonates strongly in Egypt, where museum exhibitions underscore ancient Egypt’s connections with Africa, Asia, and Europe. Abdel Wareth said this approach positions pharaonic civilization as a historical crossroads of diverse cultures, fostering broader conversations about shared heritage and cultural exchange.
Community engagement is also gaining importance. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat recently earned recognition for its Tabllet Masr project, which preserves intangible cultural heritage while deepening relationships with local communities. The framing of heritage as a peacebuilding tool has garnered support from religious scholars at Al-Azhar, including former grand muftis, who emphasize antiquities as a shared human legacy deserving protection. Their views reflect the Islamic principle of amana, a moral obligation to safeguard cultural treasures and reject extremist threats.
The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Giza Pyramids in November 2025 has attracted international attention, marking what Abdel Wareth calls a new phase in cultural diplomacy. The GEM reunites Tutankhamun’s treasures for the first time and presents artifacts within their authentic contexts, allowing Egypt to narrate its history beyond colonial-era perspectives.
Additional exhibitions such as “All Eyes on Her!” at London’s Horniman Museum demonstrate the expanding conversation. Developed with Egyptian women, the exhibit uses everyday objects like 1980s hijab pins to explore themes of female resilience and universal struggles, challenging prevailing stereotypes.
Technological innovations are enhancing museum experiences and accessibility. Collaborations with Meta enable visitors to use augmented reality via Instagram to animate artifacts. At the GEM, children can immerse themselves in virtual reality recreations of Tutankhamun’s tomb, while the AI-based “Manetho” app translates hieroglyphs instantly through smartphone cameras. Egypt is also preparing for “metaverse tourism,” aiming to host virtual events at historic sites such as the Luxor temples.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist. Abdel Wareth highlighted climate change as a serious threat to fragile materials like papyrus, compounded by rising energy costs for climate control in museums. To address these issues, ICOM Egypt works with UNESCO and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on workshops focused on crisis management and ethical use of artificial intelligence.
Calls for the repatriation of iconic Egyptian artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone and the Nefertiti Bust, have gained momentum. Abdel Wareth frames these efforts as not only legal claims but also diplomatic assertions of fairness and equality.
As International Museum Day arrives, Egyptian museums are evolving from passive repositories to active hubs for education, dialogue, and peacebuilding. Abdel Wareth emphasized that cultural diversity should be celebrated as a unifying human treasure rather than a source of division.