Latest news with #NaguibMahfouzMuseum
CairoScene
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Naguib Mahfouz Museum Extends Hours With Two Evening Shifts
The new hours -5 PM to 9 PM on Saturdays and Sundays - aim to accommodate more visitors and encourage nighttime cultural tourism. Jul 07, 2025 The Naguib Mahfouz Museum in Cairo's Al-Gamaleya district will begin operating two evening shifts on weekends starting July 6th. The new hours -5 PM to 9 PM on Saturdays and Sundays - aim to accommodate more visitors and encourage nighttime cultural tourism in the historic heart of the capital. Dedicated to Egypt's only Nobel Prize-winning novelist, the museum is housed in the Bayt Al-Qadi complex and has become a major cultural attraction since its opening. It includes a library, rare manuscripts, and Naguib Mahfouz's personal belongings, giving visitors intimate insight into his life and work.
Al-Ahram Weekly
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Naguib Mahfouz Museum adds 2 evening shifts starting July - Stage & Street - Arts & Culture
The Museum of Naguib Mahfouz, Egypt's Nobel laureate for literature, has added two evening shifts on Saturdays and Sundays starting this July. The move aims to revitalize cultural activity in Historic Cairo, allowing tourists and local visitors to explore the rare collections, works, and possessions of the famed Egyptian novelist. On Saturdays and Sundays, the museum will be open to visitors in two shifts: from 9am to 2pm and from 6pm to 10pm. Throughout the remaining days, the opening hours remain unchanged, from 9am to 4pm. Naguib Mahfouz Museum The museum, which opened in July 2019 in the Muhammad Bek Abu Al-Dahab Complex, is an edifice built in 1774 under Ottoman rule. It lies beside the main entrance of Al-Azhar Mosque. The museum comprises two floors spanning an area of 1,600 square metres. The first floor hosts several libraries, including a general library with 165 books, a literary library with 119 books, Mahfouz's library with 1,091 books on art and literature, and a collection of approximately 266 books penned by Mahfouz in Arabic, along with their translated copies. The second floor is divided into several halls, including the Nobel Hall, which is dedicated to displaying Mahfouz's Nobel medallion and certificate, along with other certificates, medallions, and awards he received throughout his life. The floor also features the Biography Hall, which showcases his personal belongings, including clothing, glasses, pens, papers, and letters, along with manuscripts written in his handwriting and his desk. The Literature Hall displays the old and new editions of Mahfouz's works along with his translated works. The Alley Hall features an exhibition on Mahfouz's life and a film about the neighbourhood where he lived and its influence on his writings. Additionally, there is a Filmography Hall containing footage from movies made from his books. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
CairoScene
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
A Shrine for Sayyed Darwish is Rising From the Ashes in Kom El Dikka
A Shrine for Sayyed Darwish is Rising From the Ashes in Kom El Dikka In Alexandria's Kom al-Dikka neighbourhood, a plot of land once reduced to a garbage dump and overrun by livestock is now being cleared to make way for something altogether different: a museum honouring Sayyed Darwish, the composer whose music helped shape modern Egyptian identity. The transformation is being spearheaded by Sīrat al-Eskandareyya, a grassroots cultural initiative with an eye for overlooked urban narratives—and a penchant for turning chance encounters into long-term projects. The idea was born not out of a state mandate or a sweeping national campaign, but from a conversation on the street. In 2020, Mina Zaki, the founder of Sīrat al-Eskandareyya, happened to be visiting Kom al-Dikka when he was approached by an elderly man, Ali Shetiwi. Shetiwi introduced himself as the son of the original landowner of the site where Sayyed Darwish—often called the father of Egyptian popular music—was born and raised. That was all it took. 'Why not turn this place into a heritage site? A museum?' Zaki recalled. The house itself had long been demolished. In its place stood a vacant lot filled with 12 tonnes of waste and makeshift pens for goats and sheep. But the history beneath the surface remained. It would take five years of effort to turn that question into a plan. The team had to navigate a complex legal landscape, including the daunting task of locating and convincing 17 different heirs of the property to sign off on the project. That milestone was only reached two weeks ago, clearing the way for construction to begin. The museum is being designed by architect Karim El Shabouri, whose previous work includes the Umm Kulthum Museum, the Naguib Mahfouz Museum, and the Museum of the Revolutionary Command Council in Cairo. This time, he's opting for a simple, two-story wooden structure—not a reconstruction of Darwish's original home, but a space designed to hold something more dynamic. 'The museum won't look like the house,' Zaki explained. 'It's not about preservation for its own sake. It's about creating an experience.' Inside, visitors will find a curated journey through Sayyed Darwish's life and work: rare photographs, personal possessions, and most notably, a restored gramophone with original records that will play his compositions. The museum will focus on delivering an immersive, audio-visual experience inspired by places like the Beethoven House in Bonn, rather than the more archival, document-heavy approach seen in museums like the Cavafy House nearby. There's a quiet pragmatism to Zaki's approach. When asked why Sayyed Darwish was chosen, his answer is refreshingly honest. 'It just so happened that he was born on land we could access,' he said. 'I like his music, sure—I grew up with it, like everyone did. But honestly, the reason we're doing this is because we could.' This spirit of serendipity runs through much of Zaki's work. Sīrat al-Eskandareyya is itself an offshoot of Al-Gawla, a free walking tour initiative he launched in 2017. Over the years, Al-Gawla managed to organize 325 visits for over 40,000 guests across 17 governorates, all without charging a single pound. The new initiative—Sīrat al-Eskandareyya, or The Life of Alexandria—was launched in early 2025, in collaboration with a similar project in Cairo. Its goal: to bring hidden histories to light through storytelling, spatial reclamation, and community engagement. In the case of the Darwish museum, that engagement extends beyond the museum walls. The site is currently bordered by collapsing tenements that pose a threat to public safety—and to the future of the museum itself. 'The surrounding buildings are in terrible condition. The governorate needs to intervene,' Zaki said. 'We've cleared the site, but it's just one part of the larger urban puzzle.' Still, the symbolic weight of what's happening in Kom al-Dikka is hard to ignore. Sayyed Darwish, who died in 1923 at the age of 31, left behind a body of work that resonated across social classes and political movements. His melodies were adopted by labor unions and protestors alike. His influence seeped into Egypt's national anthem. For decades, his story has lived in concert halls and classroom recitals, but not in the place that shaped him. That's about to change. And while Zaki resists grandiose language—insisting that he's not motivated by nostalgia or nationalism—there's a clear sense that something important is being reclaimed. Asked whether he believes the museum could inspire similar projects in other neighborhoods or cities, he replied without hesitation: 'Of course.' If that happens, it may be because of more than just the building itself. It may be because someone paused, listened to an old man tell a story, and decided that even a demolished house full of garbage could be a starting point.
CairoScene
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Naguib Mahfouz Museum to Offer Free Entry on April 16th
The Ministry of Culture launches the 'Mahfouz in Our Hearts' initiative to celebrate the Nobel laureate's lasting influence on Egyptian identity and Arabic literature. Apr 11, 2025 In celebration of Egypt's only Nobel Laureate in Literature, the Ministry of Culture has announced free public entry to the Naguib Mahfouz Museum on April 16th. The initiative, titled 'Mahfouz in Our Hearts: Pride for Egyptian Identity', aims to honour the iconic writer's cultural legacy and reaffirm his impact on Egyptian identity, literature, and intellectual life. The initiative is part of a broader cultural programme by the ministry spotlighting the work of prominent Egyptian artists and intellectuals. Previous iterations have paid tribute to figures such as filmmaker Shadi Abdel Salam and poet Salah Jahin through dedicated events and exhibitions exploring their contributions to Egyptian culture. Located in Cairo's historic Al-Gamaleya district near Al-Azhar Mosque, the Naguib Mahfouz Museum is housed in an 18th-century Ottoman-era building restored and opened to the public in 2019. The museum contains a rich collection of personal belongings, handwritten manuscripts, and awards Mahfouz received over the course of his life—including the State Prize for Literature, the Grand Necklace of the Nile, and his Nobel Prize in Literature awarded in 1988. Exhibition spaces also recreate scenes from Cairo's working-class neighbourhoods, which featured prominently in Mahfouz's literary universe. Visitors can explore recorded interviews and a research library that includes critical studies and archival material related to his work. The museum's layout includes a discussion room and multiple reading spaces, making it a hub for reflection and scholarship.
