State of the art conservation center for Egypt’s Grand Museum inaugurated

Conservation Center of Egypt’s Grand Museum opens

CAIRO — Egyptian officials say the initial phases of the country’s massive new museum for its ancient heritage have been completed, including a state-of-the-art conservation center.

The $600 million Grand Museum of Egypt located at the foot of the Giza pyramids will stage a partial opening by the fall of 2012 and will one day house 100,000 artifacts, including King Tutankhamun’s famed mummy and golden burial effects.

Egypt’s first lady Suzanne Mubarak inaugurated on Monday the new conservation center as well as the museum’s power plant and fire station.

Mohammed Ghoneim, the project’s technical consultant, said 6,800 artifacts have already been moved to the conservation center.