The museum was first built in 1892 as a small building
located on Horreya Road. In 1895 it was transferred to the
present site near Gamal Abdul Nasser Road. It started with
eleven galleries, and has been gradually enlarged in later
renovation stages. The 25th gallery was inaugurated in
1984. It contains a very big variety of coins from
different countries, chronologically arranged, and dating
back from 630 BC to the Ottoman period in the 19th
century. The collection, which covers the period from the
3rd century BC to the 7th century AD, is a fascinating
record of civilization in the process of change as
religions merged and society evolved.
In
Alexandria, Graeco-Roman and Pharaonic religions mingled
in the cult of Serapis; the shift from pagan religions to
Christianity can also be seen in the exhibits which
include mummies, Hellenistic statues, busts of Roman
emperors, Tangara figurines, and early Christian
antiquities.
Museum Description
The museum contains hundreds of precious antiques. We
will describe the most valuable ones or the best areas in
the museum. Honestly, I have been to that museum more than
five times and I still would love to go again.
In Room 6 we can find The Apis Bull, found to the west
of Pompey's Pillar. The statue was set up in the reign of
Hadrian (AD 117-138). This bull represents the most
successful imposition of Greek realism upon an Egyptian
image. The Serapis Head is sculptured with fine white
marble. It was found near the Pompey's Pillar. It was one
of the Ptolemies' gods. This god was a blend of Osiris and
Apis. A visitor can see fine mosaics, an Alexandrine
specialty, including one of a ship sailing, done with
colored pebbles set in cement. This is the earliest type
of mosaic made.
Room 7: The two headless sphinxes, carved under
Amenhemhet IV (12th Dynasty), are spectacular. The two
headless black basalt statues of Isis in the niches
flanking the doorway show us a clear example of Isis Knot.
Room 8: This room is devoted to mummies and sarcophagi.
A visitor can see the difference between the gilded and
painted cartonnage of the pharaonic mummies and the ornate
diamond bandage of the Ptolemaic ones.
Room 9: This room is mainly dedicated to show pieces of
a shrine in the Fayoum dedicated to the Crocodile-god,
Pnepheros.
Room 11: Contains some of the most interesting statues,
in which Egyptian scenes and techniques are portrayed with
Greek influences. We can see image of divine serpents
" The Agathadaimon Stelae" and their
worshippers. Limestone fragments from a temple at Athribis
(Benha) are along the north wall of the room. The god Tutu
faces Horus and Athribis with a broken inscription of
Greek between them.
Room 12: Contains statues of Graeco-Roman period. A
colossal red granite head of Ptolemy IV, was found at
Abuqir, wearing the double crown of Egypt. The mosaic of
Medusa, once a pavement, originally showed Medusa's entire
body. The most spectacular piece is the colossal white
marble statue of Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), which was
discovered under the Sayed Darwish Theater. In the same
room, we can see a marble statue of Isis as a goddess of
the Nile reclining against a sphinx. Her left hand holds a
vessel for the Holy Water and the eight children climbing
over her represent the eight cubits the Nile rises for a
perfect flood.
Room 14: is filled with portrait heads of famous
Romans: Hadrian, Vespasian, and Augustus.
Room 16: Contains some of the finest Hellenistic
statuary available. The torso of Aphrodite is magnificent
. At the end of the hall are a couple of male torsos, a
female, and a seated male, which belonged to a group of
statues carved for a pediment for a palace near the
eastern harbor.
Room
17: Contains some of the best Sarcophagi found. The most
unique one shows Ariadne asleep on the island of Naxos.
The god of sleep (Hypnos) stands by her head, and behind
him lies the boat that brought her from Crete. Her
husband, Dionysisu, stands in front of her with his
retinue. The rest of the facade shows a drunken Hercules
being helped homeward.
Room 18: The funerary amphora from Chatby. It dates to
the end of the fourth century BC. It still has its
artificial wreath of green leaves and golden berries
around its neck. Another display is a unique collection of
clay Tanagra ( an ancient city in the northern part of
Greece) figures. This collection spans the 3rd century BC
to the 1st century AD. It provides information about
women's fashions, hairstyles, hats and dresses in the
ancient world.
Room 21: This room contains plenty of pottery and some
statues. The statue that stands out in this hall is a
Hercules statue with a club in his left hand and his
lion-skin coat in his right.
Room 22: This hall is dedicated to colored glassware.
Early in Egypt's history, the people learned how to make
glass. It is a chance to see the early discovery of the
fusion of soda and sand. At the end of the hall is a
beautiful bronze head of Hadrian (76-138 AD).
Room 2:Contains many architectural elements from early
Christian buildings, the central basket capital is a
typical Coptic art.
Room 3: This room has magnificent collection of metal,
silver and gold. The silver torso of Aphrodite dates from
the 2nd century. There is a varied collection of ancient
jewelry with different magnificent colors.
Room 4: Devoted to Coptic textiles from some of the
finest weavers in the Christian world.
Room 5: An amazing ancient model of a water cooling
system.
Room 1: In this room, we can see the beautiful
alabaster Good Shepherd. Its large eyes and flat, regular
of the robe is a development from the Coptic style. Part
of the hall displays artifacts from the Monastery of St.
Menas, west of Alexandria.
The Sculpture Garden: The garden of the museum is full
of spectacular statues and artifacts.
