Latest news with #Tutankhamen
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hong Kong Palace Museum to exhibit Egyptian relics in landmark cultural collaboration
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Hong Kong Palace Museum and Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities have formalized a new cultural partnership with the launch of the museum's most extensive exhibition of Egyptian antiquities . Titled, the showcase will open on November 20, 2025, and run through August 31, exhibition will feature 250 relics on loan from Egypt, including a 2.8-meter-tall statue of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, mummified cats, anthropoid coffins, and a statue of the goddess Bastet holding a sistrum. This marks the first collaboration between the Hong Kong Palace Museum, located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, and the Supreme Council of read: Labubu effect: When cuteness becomes a billion-dollar business Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of the council, emphasized that the collaboration represents the beginning of deeper cultural exchanges. 'We were discussing today [about] future collaborations from different themes and also different artefacts that will be allowed to travel [from Egypt], or maybe new discoveries,' he noted that future exhibitions could also include Islamic art from Egypt, including pieces from Iran and Turkey. 'We are speaking about everything, we are open to everything, in order to do collaboration,' he to Khaled, the decision to collaborate with the Hong Kong Palace Museum was influenced by Egypt's diplomatic relationship with China and the museum's emerging prominence in the international museum community. 'That's why we thought it would be nice to show the Egyptian artefacts here in Hong Kong,' Khaled said, adding that the initiative would also promote tourism to read: Hong Kong works on image overhaul to attract overseas visitors The partnership opens opportunities for additional high-profile loans and potentially more comprehensive exhibitions that include notable artefacts and mummies in future Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, which houses one of the world's largest collections of Islamic artefacts, was cited by Khaled as a potential contributor to future exhibitions. This includes objects of cultural significance from across the Islamic world, presenting new thematic avenues for ongoing also expressed hope that the exhibition would encourage more visitors from Hong Kong and mainland China to explore Egypt's temples, tombs, and archaeological sites in person.
Perth Now
26-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Ancient Eyptian mummy fungus could be secret to powerful new cancer drug
A deadly fungus once blamed for the legendary 'mummy's curse' in King Tut's tomb could have secret cancer-fighting powers, researchers have claimed. The notorious Aspergillus flavus - responsible for lung infections in tomb explorers, such as those excavating the final resting place of King Tutankhamen's - may be the unlikely saviour in the fight against leukemia. University of Pennsylvania scientists have isolated a new class of molecules—asperigimycins—from the fungus. Two of these compounds, even unmodified, killed leukemia cells in the lab. A third, enhanced with a fatty lipid chain, matched the power of FDA-approved drugs like cytarabine. These molecules block microtubules - the cell's division machinery - bringing rogue cancer cells to a halt. The findings were published in a new study in Nature Chemical Biology on Monday (23.06.25). Sherry Gao - associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering and bioengineering at Penn, a senior author on the study - said: "Fungi gave us penicillin. These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found.' 'Cancer cells divide uncontrollably. These compounds block the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division.' Scientists from UPenn led a multi-university collaboration in the study along with researchers from Rice, Baylor, Washington University and others.
Scottish Sun
16-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Long-awaited opening of the world's biggest $1bn mega-museum housing ‘cursed' coffin is delayed AGAIN over war tensions
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE opening of a mega-museum - home to the famous "cursed" coffin - has been postponed again over war tensions. Cairo's Grand Egyptian Museum will be home to more than 100,000 artefacts and the largest collection of Tutankhamun artefacts ever displayed. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 The main hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum was opened for limited tours last year 9 The museum will delay its official opening following escalated tensions between Iran and Israel 9 Tutankhamun's cursed coffin will be housed in the impressive museum Although some parts of the museum are open already, King Tut's galleries were being held off until July 3. But in a statement released today, the tourism and antiquities ministries announced it will now not open until the end of the year due to Israel and Iran's recent conflict. "In light of the current regional development, it has decided to postpone" the opening of the museum, officials said. They added: 'A new date … will be announced in due course, following coordination with all relevant authorities to ensure the organisation of an event that reflects Egypt's prominent cultural and tourism status on the international stage.' The museum covers an impressive 500,000 square feet, making it the biggest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation - ancient Egypt. Visitors will enter the museum through a spectacular alabaster archway, before being greeted by an impressive 83 ton statue of Ramses II, which dates back 3200 years. They will then head up the grand staircase, past an impressive display of statues of ancient kings and gods. From there they will have an impressive view of the pyramids, which are just a mile away. The museum boasts twelve galleries containing art ranging more than 3000 years. Visitors will also be able to see the dazzling treasures of Queen Hetepheres, the mum of the builder of the Great Pyramid, including her alabaster sarcophagus, furniture and jewellery, along with King Khufu's grand cedar wood boat. Mystery Solved: The Story of 'The Screaming Woman' Mummy (1) Construction of the site began in 2005, but came to a halt during the Arab Spring in 2011. Work resumed in 2014, and a decade later the museum is finally opening. The project has cost $1.3 billion, but it is hoped it will boost the Egyptian economy by attracting tourists from across the world. The 'cursed' coffin The Tutankhamen collection is currently in the old Egyptian museum in downtown Cairo, but will be moved ahead of the official opening. Tutankhamen's body will remain in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 after seven years of searching. The discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb is associated with a dark curse. Following the unearthing of Tutankhamen's remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances. These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite. Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh's remains, was killed by a mystery illness. Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin's Disease aged 64. No royal tombs had been uncovered since King Tut's until last week when archaeologists discovered King Thutmose II's burial site. 9 The architectural marvel is being built to house thousands of pharaonic artefacts from the ancient era 9 Visitors gather in front of an obelisk during a guided tour of the main hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum 9 The 'Grand Staircase' at the Egyptian Museum The king's mummified remains had been found two centuries ago but his his tomb was never found. The entrance to the tomb and its main passage were initially discovered in 2022, but continued excavations found evidence linking it to the Pharaoh. Fragments of vases inscribed with the Pharaoh's name were found, identifying Thutmose II as the 'deceased king'. Sections of a religious text and blue paint and yellow stars that were placed in the tomb of kings were also found. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities,described the discovery as one of the "most significant archaeological finds in recent years". King Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of Egypt's 18th Dynasty, and is thought to have reigned from about 1493 BC to 1479 BC. He died at the age of 30. King Thutmose II was married to Queen Hatshepsut, who made history as a powerful female pharaoh. GLIMPSE OF THE PAST The grand museum has been designed in a way that pays tribute to its historic surroundings. Shaped like a chamfered triangle, the museum aligns with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure - and is built extremely close to the great structures. The museum's design was picked through an international architectural competition in 2002 that attracted more than 1,500 entries from around the world. And winning design was a brainchild of Heneghan Peng Architects in Dublin, Ireland, who are known for their unique, colossal designs. Incredible plans for the architectural marvel were first revealed in 1992 a huge, empty site close to the Giza pyramids was secured by the then-president of Egypt Hosni Mubarak. However, construction could only begin in 2012 - and the structural shell was completed in just three years, with the museum expected to open by 2018. But several political and economic setbacks kept the plans on hold. The Grand Egyptian Museum is now expected to open by the end of this year. Who was King Tutankhamen? Here's everything you need to know about King Tut... King Tutankhamen is the most famous of Egypt's ancient pharaohs He ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago from 1332 to 1323 BC Tut is known as the "boy king" as he was just 10 years old when he took the thrown When he became the king he married his half-sister Ankhesenpaaten. They had two daughters together but both were stillborn. Tut died aged just 19 under mysterious circumstances Some believe that King Tut was assassinated but most believe that his death was an accident The pharaoh is also famous for the supposed curse that haunts his tomb After the tomb's discovery in 1922, archaeologists, and even their family members, died from horrible illnesses or in strange accidents – and some say the deaths weren't a coincidence 9 People gather around a depiction of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun's death mask 9 An incredible exhibition space of more than 4,000 square metres will display hundreds of ancient pharaonic artefacts
The Irish Sun
16-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Long-awaited opening of the world's biggest $1bn mega-museum housing ‘cursed' coffin is delayed AGAIN over war tensions
THE opening of a mega-museum - home to the famous "cursed" coffin - has been postponed again over war tensions. Cairo's Grand Egyptian Museum will be home to more than 100,000 artefacts and the largest collection of Tutankhamun artefacts ever displayed. Advertisement 9 The main hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum was opened for limited tours last year 9 The museum will delay its official opening following escalated tensions between Iran and Israel 9 Tutankhamun's cursed coffin will be housed in the impressive museum Although some parts of the But in a statement released today, the tourism and antiquities ministries announced it will now not open until the end of the year due to Israel and Iran's recent conflict. "In light of the current regional development, it has decided to postpone" the opening of the museum, officials said. They added: 'A new date … will be announced in due course, following coordination with all relevant authorities to ensure the organisation of an event that reflects Egypt's prominent cultural and tourism status on the international stage.' Advertisement Read more on World The museum covers an impressive 500,000 square feet, making it the biggest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation - ancient Visitors will enter the museum through a spectacular alabaster archway, before being greeted by an impressive 83 ton statue of Ramses II, which dates back 3200 years. They will then head up the grand staircase, past an impressive display of statues of ancient kings and gods. From there they will have an impressive view of the pyramids, which are just a mile away. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Latest The museum boasts twelve galleries containing art ranging more than 3000 years. Visitors will also be able to see the dazzling treasures of Queen Hetepheres, the mum of the builder of the Great Pyramid, including her alabaster sarcophagus, furniture and jewellery, along with King Khufu's grand cedar wood boat. Mystery Solved: The Story of 'The Screaming Woman' Mummy (1) Construction of the site began in 2005, but came to a halt during the Arab Work resumed in 2014, and a decade later the museum is finally opening. Advertisement The project has cost $1.3 billion, but it is hoped it will boost the Egyptian economy by attracting tourists from across the world. The 'cursed' coffin The Tutankhamen collection is currently in the old Egyptian museum in downtown Cairo, but will be moved ahead of the official opening. Tutankhamen's body will remain in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Advertisement The discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb is associated with a dark curse. Following the unearthing of Tutankhamen's remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances. These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite. Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh's remains, was killed by a mystery illness. Advertisement Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin's Disease aged 64. No royal tombs had been uncovered since King Tut's until last week when archaeologists discovered King Thutmose II's burial site. 9 The architectural marvel is being built to house thousands of pharaonic artefacts from the ancient era 9 Visitors gather in front of an obelisk during a guided tour of the main hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum Advertisement 9 The 'Grand Staircase' at the Egyptian Museum The king's mummified remains had been found two centuries ago but his his tomb was never found. The entrance to the tomb and its main passage were initially discovered in 2022, but continued excavations found evidence linking it to the Pharaoh. Fragments of vases inscribed with the Pharaoh's name were found, identifying Thutmose II as the 'deceased king'. Advertisement Sections of a religious text and blue paint and yellow stars that were placed in the tomb of kings were also found. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities,described the discovery as one of the "most significant archaeological finds in recent years". King Thutmose II was the fourth Pharaoh of King Thutmose II was married to Queen Hatshepsut, who made Advertisement GLIMPSE OF THE PAST The grand museum has been designed in a way that pays tribute to its historic surroundings. Shaped like a chamfered triangle, the museum aligns with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure - and is built extremely close to the great structures. The museum's design was picked through an international architectural competition in 2002 that attracted more than 1,500 entries from around the world. And winning design was a brainchild of Heneghan Peng Architects in Dublin, Ireland, who are known for their unique, colossal designs. Advertisement Incredible plans for the architectural marvel were first revealed in 1992 a huge, empty site close to the Giza pyramids was secured by the then-president of However, construction could only begin in 2012 - and the structural shell was completed in just three years, with the museum expected to open by 2018. But several political and economic setbacks kept the plans on hold. The Grand Egyptian Museum is now expected to open by the end of this year. Advertisement Who was King Tutankhamen? Here's everything you need to know about King Tut... King Tutankhamen is the most famous of Egypt's ancient pharaohs He ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago from 1332 to 1323 BC Tut is known as the "boy king" as he was just 10 years old when he took the thrown When he became the king he married his half-sister Ankhesenpaaten. They had two daughters together but both were stillborn. Tut died aged just 19 under mysterious circumstances Some believe that King Tut was assassinated but most believe that his death was an accident The pharaoh is also famous for the supposed curse that haunts his tomb After the tomb's discovery in 1922, archaeologists, and even their family members, died from horrible illnesses or in strange accidents – and some say the deaths weren't a coincidence 9 People gather around a depiction of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun's death mask 9 An incredible exhibition space of more than 4,000 square metres will display hundreds of ancient pharaonic artefacts 9 An ancient monument inside The Grand Egyptian Museum
The Star
21-05-2025
- The Star
In Egypt, the world's most anticipated museum is finally open... mostly
I was drawn to the outskirts of Cairo by the colossal complex in the desert – a towering site that arose over decades, built at unimaginable expense, with precisely cut stones sourced from local quarries; a set of buildings whose construction, plagued by extraordinary challenges, spanned the reigns of several rulers; a collective cultural testament, the largest of its kind, teeming with royal history. No, I'm not referring to Giza's famous pyramids. I came to see the Grand Egyptian Museum. There is perhaps no institution on Earth whose opening has been as wildly anticipated, or as mind-bogglingly delayed, as the Grand Egyptian Museum outside Cairo. Its construction has been such a fiasco – mired by funding lapses, logistical hurdles, a pandemic, nearby wars, revolutions (yes, plural) – that it begs comparison to that of the pyramids that lie just over a mile away on the Giza Plateau. (The 4,600-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza, built from around 2.3 million stone blocks and without the use of wheels, pulleys or iron tools, took 25 years to build, by some estimates. So far, the Grand Egyptian Museum has taken more than 20.) Visitors in the Grand Hall of the museum, where a colossal statue of Ramses II – moved from downtown Cairo in 2006 – now stands. Planned openings have come and gone since 2012. (Even The New York Times got it wrong; its list of 52 Places To Go in 2020 prematurely referred to the 'fancy new digs for King Tut and company.') In time, frustrations bubbled over for would-be visitors, many of whom had planned vacations around the new museum. The wait is now over. Well, mostly. Visitors take in the ancient pyramids of Giza, framed through a set of windows at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, in February 2025. The Grand Egyptian Museum, outside Cairo, has been delayed by revolutions, wars, financial crises and a pandemic. (Stephen Hiltner/The New York Times) When I visited in mid-February, 11 of the 12 main exhibition galleries were open, along with the cavernous entrance hall and a broad staircase strewn with dozens of artefacts. But arguably the museum's biggest draw, the Tutankhamen galleries, which will showcase more than 5,000 artefacts from the boy king's tomb, remained closed. (For now, Tutankhamen's gold funeral mask, among the most iconic archaeological artefacts in the world, is still on display at the old Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square.) A collection of ushabti, the figurines left as servants for the dead, on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, in February 2025. Summarizing the exhibition halls would be a thankless task — and besides, the joy of visiting any vast museum is uncovering the peculiar selection of items that stands out to you alone. (Stephen Hiltner/The New York Times) Also inaccessible was a separate annex that will showcase two royal boats discovered near the Great Pyramid in 1954. Those portions of the museum are expected to open this summer, with an official ceremony scheduled for July 3. (You might take that date with a grain or two of salt.) Still, even the museum's incomplete offerings – along with the building itself and its billion-dollar views – are staggering. A limestone statue of the pharaoh Djoser on display at the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Entering the main hall, I was struck by both the scale of the structure and the textural allure of its surfaces. Just inside the pyramidal entryway (the motifs aren't exactly subtle), I was greeted by one of the museum's many showstoppers: a 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II, widely regarded as the most powerful of ancient Egypt's pharaohs, that stands about 10m tall and weighs more than 80 tonnes. The red-granite figure has a fabled modern history: It was found – lying on its side, broken into six pieces – by an Italian Egyptologist in 1820; in 1954 it was installed at a traffic circle in downtown Cairo, where it stood for half a century before being painstakingly transported to the new museum site in 2006. The innermost coffin of Tutankhamen, currently displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, will soon be part of the complete collection exhibited at the museum. From the atrium I ascended the Grand Staircase, first via a long escalator and then again on foot, having returned to the bottom for a closer look at the dozens of large-scale statues, columns and sarcophagi that line the ascent. Atop the stairs was another breathtaking surprise: an unobstructed view of the Giza pyramids, perfectly framed in a set of floor-to-ceiling windows. I stood before the windows, helplessly transfixed, for the better part of an hour. If there's a better human-made view on the planet, I've yet to take it in. A painted limestone statue of Meryre, an Egyptian high priest, and his wife, Iniuia, on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, in February 2025. Billed as the largest archaeological museum in the world, as well as the largest museum devoted to a single civilization, it was initially proposed by Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's longtime authoritarian president, who announced his plans for a new flagship institution in 1992. (Stephen Hiltner/The New York Times) From the top of the stairs I entered the first of the museum's 12 main galleries, which are organised both chronologically and by theme, spanning from prehistory to the Roman era. The arrival of the Grand Egyptian Museum establishes a trio of must-see museums in and around Cairo. In Tahrir Square stands the oldest: the Egyptian Museum, a beautiful beaux-arts building that for more than a century has showcased one of the world's great collections of antiquities. (Largely unmodernised, the museum has transferred, and will continue transferring, many of its most prized items to Giza, prompting concerns about its future.) Hieroglyphic motifs and translucent stone adorn the exterior of the museum. Also in the mix is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, another landmark that fully opened in 2021 and whose main draw is its haunting collection of royal mummies. All three are worthy of extended visits. In many respects, the Grand Egyptian Museum now stands alone. Billed as the largest archaeological museum in the world, as well as the largest museum devoted to a single civilisation, it was initially proposed by Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's longtime authoritarian president, who announced his plans for a new flagship institution in 1992. A ceremonial foundation stone was laid 10 years later, and Dublin-based Heneghan Peng Architects won a competition to design the building in 2003. Construction began in 2005. A golden figure that dates to around the Naqada III period, about 5,000 years ago, made with lapis lazuli inlays around the eyes, on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, in February 2025. The Grand Egyptian Museum, outside Cairo, has been delayed by revolutions, wars, financial crises and a pandemic. (Stephen Hiltner/The New York Times) Then came the long series of spectacular setbacks: the 2008 global economic crisis, the Arab Spring (and the subsequent decimation of Egypt's tourism industry), the pandemic, and wars in the Gaza Strip and Sudan. Over time, excitement for the museum was eclipsed by coverage of its postponement. But I doubt the epic delays will get the spotlight for much longer. If my experience is any indication, then all it takes to overlook the long wait is a leisurely stroll through the museum's timeless collection – and an extended gaze from the top of its staircase. – By STEPHEN HILTNER/©2025 The New York Times Company
