Founded
in 1910 and renovated in 2006, the Coptic
Museum in Cairo is dedicated to the culture
and history of the Copts, Egypt’s orthodox
Christians, who make up approximately 10%
of Egypt’s current population. The
museum’s collection, which includes
icons, textiles, books, religious items,
and objects of daily use, illustrates the
essential role that Copts have traditionally
played in Egyptian society, as well as their
importance to the development of Christianity
and Christian Monasticism. Labels are in
Arabic, English, and French.
HOURS
OF OPERATION:
Open daily 9AM-9PM
TICKET
COST:
Egyptian: LE 2
(LE 1, students)
Foreign: LE 40 (LE 20, students)
Student rates available to bearers of a valid student ID from an Egyptian
university or an International
Student ID Card (ISIC)
LOCATION:
Mar Girgis St.,
Old Cairo
DIRECTIONS:
BY METRO: Helwan
Line, Mar Girgis station. The museum gate
is directly in front of the station.
BY CAR OR TAXI: Ask for "al-met-haf al-qib-tee." Taxi drivers may
not be familiar with “al-met-haf al-qib-tee”; it would be very
helpful to add that it is close to the mosque of Amr Ibn el-Ass.
BY BUS: Direction Maadi, get off at Old Cairo Police Station. The museum
is located on the opposite side of the street, facing Mar Girgis metro station.
FACILITIES:
Cafeteria (coming
soon), gift shop, school, luggage office,
library (not open to the public)
Guides are not provided. A catalogue of the museum collection is available
for purchase at the bookstore.
The museum is wheelchair-accessible.
CONTACT
INFO:
Phone: (02) 2362-8766/ (02) 2363-9742
MUSEUM
WEBSITE:
http://www.copticmuseum.gov.eg/
NO
PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED. Cameras must be checked
at the museum compound entrance. For special
permission, go to the SCA Rules and Regulations
page.
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Exterior of the Coptic Museum (SCA Archive) |
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Textile decorated with a piper, 4th-5th century
AD (courtesy of Nadja Tomoum) |
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