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Virtual Travel

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Take a Free Virtual Tour of Five Egyptian Heritage Sites

The sites include the 5,000-year-old tomb of Meresankh III, the Red Monastery and the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq

Theresa Machemer

Correspondent

Earlier this month, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the release of five new virtual tours of historic sites, adding to the range of online adventures that you can now embark on from home.

The tours explore the tomb of Meresankh III , the tomb of Menna , the Ben Ezra Synagogue , the Red Monastery and the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq . Each virtual experience features detailed 3-D imagery through which users can “walk” by clicking hotspots along the structures’ floors.

As James Stewart reports for the Guardian , the tours boast “beefed up” 3-D modeling made by experts with Harvard University’s Giza Project . Unlike their real counterparts, most of which charge a small entry fee, the virtual renderings are free to all.

“The virtual tours target both [international] tourists and Egyptians, a ministry spokesperson tells Al-Monitor ’s Amira Sayed Ahmed. “They serve the double purpose of promoting Egyptian tourism nationwide and increasing Egyptians' awareness of their own civilization.”

Two of the tours—the tombs of Meresankh III and elite Egyptian official Menna —include background information accessible by clicking circles overlaid atop specific features. The former’s tomb, dated to some 5,000 years ago, is the oldest of the Egyptian sites available as a virtual walkthrough. Meresankh, a queen wed to King Khafre, was the daughter of Prince Kawab and Hetepheres II of the fourth dynasty, and the granddaughter of Great Pyramid builder Cheops, also known as Khufu.

Harvard archaeologist George Andrew Reisner discovered the queen’s tomb in 1927. He later stated that “None of us had ever seen anything like it.” Today, the burial place’s paintings and carvings remain well-preserved, showcasing hunters catching water birds, bakers making triangular loaves of bread and servants holding offerings.

In the northern chamber, along the wall furthest from the virtual tour’s starting point, ten statues of women stand shoulder to shoulder—an unusual sight among Gaza tombs. The statues “serve to emphasize Meresankh’s position among her queenly relatives,” the tour explains. Along the path to the 16-foot-deep burial shaft, users pass a pair of statues depicting Meresankh and her mother, Hetepheres II, with their arms around each other.

The path leads down a spiraling staircase into the burial shaft, where Meresankh’s black granite sarcophagus—originally created for her mother but re-engraved upon the queen’s death in 2532 B.C., according to the History Blog —was originally found. The tour includes a reconstructed image of the chamber with the sarcophagus in place, but the actual coffin is now kept at the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo.

The tomb of Menna, dated to the 18th dynasty (about 1549 B.C to 1292 B.C.), is “one of the most visited and best preserved” from the era, the ministry writes in a statement quoted by Live Science ’s Laura Geggel. The tomb’s decorations suggest the elite official was a scribe in charge of the pharaoh’s fields and the temple of sun god Amun-Re.

Menna’s tomb also includes informational blurbs highlighting such features as paintings of the scribe’s family, including his wife Henuttawy and their five children. Curiously, all of the paintings of Menna have been defaced.

“The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of a person inhabited paintings of them and destroying the face would ‘deactivate’ the image,” the tour notes. “Why would someone want to destroy the memory of Menna?”

The tomb also served as a point of communication with the dead. It once featured life-size statues of Menna and Henuttawy that family members could make offerings to, ask for favors or visit during festivals.

The other three tours do not offer information blurbs at this time, but they still have plenty of detailed 3-D imagery for virtual visitors to explore. The Red Monastery , a Coptic church in Upper Egypt, features ornate frescoes, while the 14th-century Mosque-Madrassa is known for its immense size and innovative architecture. The Ben Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo is alleged to be the site where baby Moses was found.

“Experience Egypt from home,” says the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Facebook . “Stay home. Stay safe.”

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Theresa Machemer | READ MORE

Theresa Machemer is a freelance writer based in Washington DC. Her work has also appeared in National Geographic and SciShow. Website: tkmach.com

22 Awesome Egyptian Sites You Can Virtually Tour From Home

Updated: Jan 14

No question about it -- Egypt is just one of those bucket list countries , with sights that are impossible to fathom unless you see them for yourself. But as we all know, sometimes crossing something off your bucket list is easier said than done!

So whether you’re stuck at home with no travel plans in sight, or are just curious to see some of Egypt’s most famous historical, religious and cultural sites, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has done us all a solid and created 3D virtual tours where you can explore these mysterious, intriguing places for free from the comfort of your own home.

Local tip: if the virtual tour page says it's unable to load the first time, just refresh the page.

King Tut Hall

See the iconic King Tut burial mask in the Cairo Museum’s King Tut Hall, alongside his golden coffins and other treasures from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

King Tut Hall virtual tour link .

Museum of Islamic Art

This art museum in Cairo holds over 100,000 pieces of Islamic heritage from not only Egypt but also Arab and non-Arab countries alike.

Many of the pieces were gathered from the first Islamic capitals of Egypt (Fustat and Askar), prior to the rise of Cairo. Pieces were also selected from the Delta, Fayoum, Luxor and Aswan .

Museum of Islamic Art virtual tour link .

Abu Serga Church

The Abu Serga church in Coptic Cairo is believed to be built on the spot where the Holy Family (Joseph, Mary, and infant Jesus Christ) stopped and rested towards the end of their journey to Egypt. The spot is now the crypt of the church, 10 meters deep.

Abu Serga virtul tour link .

The mastaba tomb of the ancient Egyptian official Ti in the Saqqara necropolis outside of Cairo. Ti's tomb is known for its wall depictions of daily life in the Old Kingdom, including scenes of farming, boat-building and poultry-fattening.

Tomb of Ti virtual tour link .

Manasterly Palace & Nile Meter

The palace of Hassan Fouad Al Manasterly Pasha, the governor of Cairo in 1854 AD, located on the Nile River island of Al Rawda in Cairo. On the grounds is also a Nilometer built in 1861 AD, to measure the Nile during the annual floods.

Manasterly Palace and Nilometer virtual tour link .

Niankh-Khnum and Khnumhotep Tomb

An unusual ‘double tomb’ mastaba in the Saqqara necropolis. It’s not common to find a tomb for two people, so it’s theorized that these two men were brothers, and perhaps twins (one theory is that they were actually conjoined twins).

Niankh-Khnum and Khnumhotelp's tomb virtual tour link .

Mohammed Ali Pasha Mosque

Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Cairo Citadel is one of Cairo’s landmarks and dominates the Eastern skyline, both during the day and then at night when it’s lit up. It was commissioned by Mohammed Ali Pasha, an Ottoman Albanian military commander who became Khedive of Egypt.

Mohamed Ali Mosque virtual tour link .

The Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser - Colonnade

The entrance colonnade to the pyramid complex of Djoser. The oldest Egyptian pyramid to date , ‘The Step Pyramid’ is thought of as the initial prototype for the later smooth-sided pyramids. The colonnade is 20 pairs of columns with 24 small chambers between each, which are thought maybe to represent the nomes of Upper and Lower Egypt, and may have once held statues of the pharaoh or the gods.

Step Pyramid Colonnade virtual tour link here .

Gayer-Andersen Museum

The Gayer-Andersen Museum is found in a beautiful historical house in Old Cairo, built in 1631. It’s a great remnant of Islamic architecture at the time.

The house belonged to several different wealthy families over the years, but gained its name during its stint as home of British officer Gayer Andersen in 1935. He amassed a stunning collection of art, furniture, carpets and Egyptian handicrafts that remain in the house until present day.

Gayer-Andersen virtual tour link .

Unas Pyramid

The smallest remaining pyramid of the Old Kingdom, but notable due to the discovery of the ‘Pyramids Texts’ inscribed inside on its walls. The Pyramids Texts were funerary texts and spells for the pharaoh’s afterlife, which would later become the basis of the Book of the Dead.

Unas Pyramid virtual tour link .

Al-Fath Mosque

The Royal Al-Fath Mosque is annexed to Abdeen Palace in Cairo, built in the 19th century in an Ottoman style similar to the mosque of Mohammed Ali Pasha.

The Al-Fath Mosque virtual tour link .

Tomb of Menna

Menna was an ancient Egyptian official, and his tomb is one of the most colorful and best-preserved in Thebes (modern-day Luxor).

Tomb of Menna virtual tour link .

Red Monastery

This 1,400 year old Coptic Orthodox church in Sohag was once one of Byzantine Egypt’s most beautiful monasteries. It was in ruins for decades, but was recently restored to its former glory.

Red Monastery virtual tour link .

Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq

The mosque-madrassa of Al Zaher Barquq (also known as the Sultan Barquq mosque) is a medieval religious complex in the Moez street area in Old Cairo, adjacent to Khan el Khalili (for our full Khan el Khalili guide, head here ). It’s comprised of a mosque, madrassa, mausoleum and khanqah (a building for Sufi spiritual retreat).

Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq virtual tour link .

Tomb of Queen Meresankh III

Meresankh III was the granddaughter of Khufu (the pharaoh who built the Great Pyramid), and is believed to be the wife of either Khafre or Menkaure (the pharaohs of the other two Pyramids of Giza). One of the most beloved features of her mastaba tomb is the ten large statues of women that are carved out of the northern wall, thought to represent Meresankh III, her mother and her daughters.

Tomb of Meresankh III virtual tour link .

Ben Ezra Synagogue

Originally a Coptic Church established in 882 AD, Abraham Ben Ezra from Jerusalem bought the church and converted it to a synagogue. It’s believed to be the spot where the baby Moses was found.

The synagogue went through a series of renovations over the centuries, with the current structure dating back to 1892. It’s built in the style of a basilica, with two floors: the first floor dedicated to men, and the 2nd dedicated to women. It now functions as a museum.

Ben Ezra Synagogue virtual tour link .

A necropolis dedicated to ancient military leaders and provincial rulers, today found in the modern city of Minya in Upper Egypt. There are about 39 tombs dating back to the Middle Kingdom (2050 BC to 1710 BC).

Beni Hasan virtual tour link .

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

These catacombs in Alexandria are a rare mix of Egyptian, Greek and Roman architecture and monuments and are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages.

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa virtual tour link .

Tomb of Ramses VI

Also known as KV9, this tomb (originally built by Ramses V but used by Ramses VI) is one of the best-preserved in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

Tomb of Ramses VI virtual tour link .

Coptic Museum

Known as the best place to learn about Coptic history in Egypt, this museum hosts over 1,600 pieces, dating back to the early days of Coptic Christianity in the 3rd and 4th century AD.

This museum is known for its Bibles written in the 11th and 13th centuries in both Arabic and the Coptic language on deerskin, as well as Christian writings on papyrus dating back to the 6th century.

Coptic Museum virtual tour link .

Tomb of Wahty

Recently discovered in 2018, Wahty (also spelled Wahtye) was an Old Kingdom priest and royal official, and his 4,400 year old tomb was found mainly intact in the Saqqara necropolis.

Tomb of Wahty virtual tour link .

Tomb of Mehu

Not far from the Pyramid of Unas in Saqqara is the Old Kingdom mastaba tomb of Mehu, a royal vizier.

Tomb of Mehu virtual tour link .

You may also like: Ancient Egypt Bucket List: 20 Must-See Ancient Egyptian Sites

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Ancient Egypt Bucket List: 20 Must-See Ancient Egyptian Sites

Visiting The Pyramids of Giza: A Local’s Guide To Everything You Need To Know

Saqqara, Egypt: A Local’s Guide to Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser & the Saqqara Tombs

Visit the Pyramids of Giza Without Even Leaving Your Couch

By ellen gutoskey | apr 15, 2021.

If going to the Giza Plateau in person is the ultimate way to experience the ancient Pyramids of Giza, Harvard University’s Digital Giza is at least the next best thing.

As Nerdist reports , Digital Giza is an offshoot of Harvard’s Giza Project , an international endeavor to catalog and consolidate archives and information about the Giza Plateau from all over the world. Researchers have used this data to create a digital platform with 3D models, virtual walking tours, and other free interactive resources to help people explore the region from afar.

You can, for example, amble around the largest of the three pyramids, commissioned by King Khufu around 2550 BCE and also known as the Great Pyramid . Not only is it the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it’s also the only one that still exists (That said, historians aren’t sure that some of them ever existed at all—hard evidence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Colossus of Rhodes, for example, has proven difficult to find.) The other two pyramids that tower over the rest of the plateau are the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, built by (and named for) Khufu’s son and grandson, respectively.

Digital Giza offers plenty of sites to explore beyond those three edifices. The Great Sphinx , thought to have been built during Khafre’s reign, is also a must-see. While it’s currently the same sandy color as the rest of the plateau, pigment residue suggests that it might’ve once been painted red, blue, yellow, and perhaps other vibrant hues. The platform also has virtual tours of several extravagant tombs, complete with details about the art and sculptures you see inside.

If you’re interested in an immersive (and educational) virtual vacation, you can explore Digital Giza here .

[h/t Nerdist ]

360° Tour inside the Great Pyramid of Giza (Video)

• Read Later  

The BBC's 360° tour through the Great Pyramid of Giza , one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, provides viewers with an immersive virtual reality experience. The video tour starts in the heart of the pyramid, the ceremonial passage known as the Grand Gallery, and continues to the King's Chamber . The precision and architectural brilliance of the pyramid become evident as the viewers navigate through the narrow, low-roofed passages of this over 4,500-year-old edifice.

The video also explores the mysterious subterranean chamber, a feature of the pyramid normally closed off to the public. This enigmatic section is hewn out of the bedrock below ground level and, unlike the smooth surfaces found elsewhere in the pyramid, has rough and irregular walls. The purpose of this chamber and its unusual features, including a strange deep shaft and a short tunnel that ends abruptly, remain a mystery. Despite the enduring secrets it holds, the Great Pyramid , thanks to technological advances in virtual reality, now also shines as a marvel in the virtual world, giving us an unprecedented look into its fascinating interiors.

• Great White Pyramid: Did You know Giza’s Great Pyramid Was Once Dazzling White?
• The Hidden Message in Khafre’s Pyramid: What Were the Builders Trying to Tell Us?

Top image: Stairway inside the Great Pyramid, Egypt. Source:  witthaya / Adobe Stock.

By Joanna Gillan

Joanna Gillan is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. 

Joanna completed a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) degree in Australia and published research in the field of Educational Psychology. She has a rich and varied career, ranging from teaching... Read More

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Discover the secrets of Egypt’s Great Pyramid on this new virtual tour

A new tool gives you access to the inside chambers of one of the Ancient Wonders of the World

Always wanted have a look around an Egyptian pyramid but never quite managed to go all the way to Giza? Here’s your chance for a sneak peek. You can now take a free virtual tour of the Great Pyramid of Giza – and, even online, it’s pretty spectacular.

On a website called Giza.Mused , the tour gives viewers a comprehensive look into one of Egypt’s most famous pyramids. It renders the ‘entire interior’ in digital 3-D form, taking virtual tour attendees through the king’s chamber at the top, the queen’s chamber in the middle and a subterranean chamber, which is cut into the bedrock beneath. 

So what’s so special about the Great Pyramid of Giza – despite, obviously, it being ‘great’ and all? Well, it’s the biggest pyramid in Egypt and stands at just over 138 metres tall. Built about 4,600 years ago, it houses the tomb of fourth dynasty pharaoh Khufu and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (and the only Ancient Wonder still standing).

In other words, it’s a pretty sweet place to get a virtual tour of. Giza.Mused doubles up as a fascinating history lesson, with facts about everything from its construction and location to the current entrance, which was apparently dug by robbers in the ninth century.

You can do the tour for yourself here – and get fantasising about just how incredible it would be to see the pyramids IRL.

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• A Virtual Tour through the Step Pyramid Comp...

A Virtual Tour through the Step Pyramid Complex of Djoser

Today we take you on a very special virtual tour inside Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara. It’s the first large-scale stone construction in history and an important phase in the evolution of the royal tomb towards a true pyramid shape.

Built for King Netjerykhet from the Third Dynasty (c.2667–2648 BC), also known as Djoser, the construction of the pyramid was overseen by the brilliant architect Imhotep. The Step Pyramid was not built all at once, but in stages, and the burial chamber lies at the bottom of a shaft in the center of the pyramid at a depth of 28 meters.

Thank you Virtual Mid East for putting the virtual tour together!

Your tour starts here:

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=zBpDdPqxTKz

#StayHome #StaySafe #ExperienceEgyptFromHome

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Students wearing 3D glasses take a virtual tour of ancient Egypt in Peter Der Manuelian’s “Pyramid Schemes” class.

Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer

Alvin Powell

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Digital Giza Project lets scholars virtually visit sites in Egypt and beyond, and even print them in 3D

Four thousand years ago, a member of Egypt’s elite was buried on the Giza Plateau in an elaborate stone tomb, complete with several rooms and underground chambers.

Then, in 1912, a team from Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston excavated the tomb, of a type called a mastaba , and brought back with them a limestone wall from its chapel.

The wall, housed at the MFA, is inscribed with images of the deceased, an official named Akh-meret-nesut, and his family in various poses — sitting, leaning on a staff, throwing a lasso.

Today, more than a century later, Harvard doctoral student Inês Torres wants to know as much as she can about Akh-meret-nesut: who he was, what he did, and why he was buried on the Giza Plateau in the shadow of the pyramids long after pharaohs’ burials there had ceased.

But Torres faces a problem familiar to many scholars studying ancient Egypt: getting access to what she’s studying. With part of the tomb in Boston and part in Egypt, she’d have to time travel to see it intact. Other scholars may face different hurdles, but the problem is the same: Documents and images are held in faraway archives, artifacts and other relics of ancient Egypt have been dispersed, stolen, or destroyed, and tombs and monuments have been dismantled, weather-worn, or locked away behind passages filled in when an excavation closes.

Hurdles can also be economic: The object of study may be intact, but the plane fare and expenses of living for weeks in the field or lodged in the cities — Cairo, London, Berlin, Paris, Boston — that are home to museums with large Egyptian collections hard to come by.

It was with scholars like these in mind that Digital Giza Project was born.

The project was created in 2000 by Peter Der Manuelian , who at the time was on the curatorial staff at the MFA. A scholar of ancient Egypt, Manuelian said his initial vision was to create a digital record of the work of Harvard’s legendary Egyptology Professor and MFA curator George Reisner and the Harvard-MFA Expedition he led. The expedition was one of the major academic archaeological efforts at Giza and other sites in Egypt during the early 1900s.

Reisner, who led the expedition for more than 40 years, dug at 23 sites, and Manuelian soon realized that just digitizing material relating to the vast finds on the Giza Plateau — which includes not only the pyramids and the Sphinx, but also associated temples, nearby cemeteries, and even a workers’ village — would be a career-long challenge. In 2010, he moved to Harvard to become the Philip J. King Professor of Egyptology and director of the Harvard Semitic Museum , and he brought the Giza Project with him.

The project staff’s ambition has since expanded to include not just Reisner’s work at Giza, but that of other archaeologists at the site as well, making it a comprehensive resource for Giza archaeology. It contains some 77,000 images, 21,000 of them Harvard University-MFA Expedition glass-plate negatives, and 10,000 of Manuelian’s own images. It has published manuscripts as well as unpublished expedition records, dig diaries, object record books, and sketches and drawings made by the archaeologists doing the digging. In January, during Harvard’s winter recess, Manuelian visited Egypt and collected another 5,000 digital images — including panoramic photos — of Giza and related objects in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

A key feature of the Giza Project is the fact that the material it holds is cross-referenced online, allowing a researcher to seamlessly move from a 3D image of an object to scholarly articles about it to diary pages by the archaeologist who discovered it.

“For people who focus on this particular period, this is the main resource for them to go to,” Manuelian said. “It’s thrown the doors wide open to this material that was previously only in the publications that Reisner lived long enough to finish.”

As the work has advanced, so has technology. Manuelian’s vision has expanded to include 3D re-creations of statues and artifacts that allow researchers to view them online, rotate them, and zoom in on specific features. Looking to the future, he said, 3D models’ source codes could be made available, which would allow distant scholars with access to 3D printers to create their own physical models.

“All of this allows us to ask new questions and to put the data together in ways not possible before and to make intelligent links,” Manuelian said. “If someone gets a grant and decides to go to the MFA and look through their records, good luck. There’s just so much, it’s overwhelming. If you go to Giza today, a tomb may have been reburied or vandalized, or is in not as good shape as it was in 1916. Objects might have gone to the basement of the Cairo museum, never to be seen again.

“With our attempt to put this all together digitally, with diaries and maps and plans and things, it allows you, first of all, convenient access to the data and then you can start to notice patterns.”

The Giza Projects’ 3D modeling extends beyond artifacts to locations. Manuelian’s team has already created video-game-like 3D versions of the entire Giza Plateau, with the Khafre pyramid, the Sphinx, and several temples and tombs posted so far and more to come. Those models can be accessed from the Digital Giza website and toured using controls on a laptop or desktop computer. Other re-creations, using high-resolution photographs of tombs’ interiors, let visitors walk through virtual burial chambers using stereo headsets. Visitors can move around inside the tombs and even walk up to a wall to examine a particular relief or other detail. About 20 tombs have been modeled in detail so far, with hundreds more to go.

“My hope is eventually to fly drones over the site, documenting everything from the air,” Manuelian said. “And complementing that with walks up and down the ‘streets’ [between rows of tombs] creating 360-degree panoramic visualizations, all linked to the more-traditional archaeological data that we have already assembled.”

For someone like Torres, studying a tomb that has one room in Boston and the rest in Egypt, a virtual model is the only way to see the intact structure, so she’s planning on creating one as part of her doctoral work.

“This tomb is divided between two countries,” she said. “3D modeling is the only way we can put it back together again.”

The overarching goal, Manuelian said, is to make scholarship in Egyptology more accessible than ever. And, while digital images may not fully replace the real thing, he said, foundational study can be conducted using the wide array of material presented by the project, allowing scholars to conserve scarce resources for when they’re essential.

The project’s 3D re-creations and data visualizations, together with the capabilities of the Harvard Visualization Center, also allow the Giza Project to give students a unique educational experience. Last fall, Manuelian gathered his students in a tomb in cyber space, using the center’s virtual reality headsets, and linked the class to students in Zhejiang University in China. Students’ avatars gathered at the virtual site — in this case, the Sphinx — with the technology, allowing Manuelian to act as a cyber tour guide.

“The project is all of these diverse approaches,” Manuelian said. “It’s a traditional database and website. It’s the intelligent linking of this photo to that tomb to this diary page. It’s the 3D modeling as we try to build more and more of the necropolis all the time. And it’s ultimately intended to enable the kind of remote teaching — what I call educational telepresence — where we can all be at Giza virtually and visiting the site and having a lecture inside a decorated tomb chapel no matter where you live.”

Torres said there is an irony to studying Giza: It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, but in many ways it is still unknown. While the pyramids and Sphinx are world-famous, and have been for centuries, in their shadow new tombs are still being uncovered, while known tombs, workers’ houses, and other sites are yet to be fully explored and studied.

“Giza is such a well-known site, but in some sense, it’s understudied,” Torres said. “Because the pyramids are so amazing, the things all around them fade.”

With so much work to be done, the access to digitized documents and materials might inspire scholars curious about ancient Egypt but without access to the sites themselves or a major Egyptological library to take up the job.

“I think that’s the way to go forward, to make sure everyone has access,” Torres said. “Possibly there are geniuses who don’t have a great library and could do something wonderful with the information.”

Another graduate student, Hilo Sugita, plans to study the sarcophagi found at Giza. Using the Giza Project’s data, she can examine photographs of inscriptions, find their original locations within tombs, and even create 3D models.

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“We have photographs, journals, glass negatives, letters, artifacts, publications,” Sugita said. “I think the Digital Giza Project is amazing because we’re trying to collect all the data about Giza everywhere and make it available on the website. You don’t have to go to the MFA, you don’t have to travel to Berlin.”

Technology’s advance is not without challenges, however. The digitization of archaeology, Manuelian said, is something like “the Wild West,” with competing file formats and uncertainty about how the growing data troves will be translated into next-generation software.

In addition, standards for what goes into a 3D re-creation are loose. Should a digital model reflect the state of a tomb as it was found, for example, or is it OK to color in reliefs on the walls to match paint residue found there? How far should digital re-creations go in filling in missing details, some of which are backed by scholarship, but others of which are more speculative, driven by knowledge of common practice rather than evidence at that specific site?

Early in the spring term, Manuelian gave students in his Gen Ed “Pyramid Schemes” class, which provides an overview of ancient Egypt, a glimpse of Giza using Giza Project models. The students visited the Harvard Visualization Center’s home on the second floor of the Geological Museum building, which is equipped with a curved floor-to-ceiling screen occupying one full wall and a suite of 3D and virtual reality tools.

He gave them a tour of both the technology — which can depict sites in detail — and the archaeology, showing them three-dimensional re-creations viewed with 3D glasses and letting them walk through a tomb via a virtual-reality headset.

Manuelian also encouraged students to not only soak up the experience, but to think about the challenges inherent in such an approach, where it might further education and scholarship, and what its shortcomings might be. And, with so much work still to do, he also made a pitch.

“This is a project that is waiting for people like you,” he said.

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Early Egypt

Visitor observing a decorated jar in Room 64. © The Trustees of the British Museum

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Visiting the gallery

Opening times.

Daily: 10.00–17.00 ( Fridays: 20.30 ) See full opening hours

Advance booking advised

Gallery audio guides.

Listen on the Audio app, available on the  App Store  and  Google Play .

Explore the beginnings of ancient Egyptian civilisation, which developed along the Nile from about 11000 BC.

The annual flooding of the Nile created fertile land ideal for growing crops. Rapid advances in technology and social organisation during the fifth millennium BC produced a material culture of increasing sophistication.

Toward the end of the Predynastic period, (about 3300 BC), regional rulers began competing for power and territory. This conflict ultimately led to the unification of Egypt under one king at about 3100 BC.

The strong central control and increase in wealth led to dramatic achievements in architecture, writing and fine goods, culminating in the building of the Great Pyramids of Giza in about 2600 BC.

Take a virtual tour

Go for a digital walk around  Room 64  to see objects from Early Egyptian life. Can you find five 10 animal-themed objects?

Gallery facts

• Much of early Egypt was populated by small farming communities living along the Nile Valley.
• Powerful city states such as Hierakonpolis and Abydos in the south played a significant role in defining a distinct Predynastic culture, which laid the foundations for the later pharaonic state.
• King Narmer was the most famous king credited with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
• The first royal tombs were built in the Upper Egyptian desert at Abydos, 56 miles (90km) north of Luxor.
• Funerals at this point of Egyptian history were simple and didn't involve mummification, a practice that began about 2500 BC.
• Egyptians hieroglyphs were invented about 3200 BC, in the first place for the purpose of administration, and were in use for almost 4,000 years.

Cosmetic vessel in the shape of a frog

The Pitt-Rivers Knife

Battlefield Palette

Ivory label for King Den's sandals

Statue of Ankhwa

Early Egypt timeline

About 8000 BC

The Predynastic period

About 4000 BC

The Predynastic period – the Naqada I period

About 3200 BC

The Predynastic period – the Naqada IIIA2 period

About 3100 BC

The Predynastic period – the Naqada IIIC1 period

About 3050 BC

The Early Dynastic period – the 1st Dynasty

About 2890 BC

The Early Dynastic period – the 2nd Dynasty

About 2750 BC

The Early Dynastic period – the 3rd Dynasty

About 2580–2560 BC

The Old Kingdom – the 4rd Dynasty

Accessibility.

• Some objects in this collection feature on the British Sign Language multimedia guide. This resource is temporarily unavailable. You can access a selection of  BSL films  on your own device.
• Some objects in this collection feature on the audio description guide, available on  Soundcloud .
• Step-free access.
• View sensory map .

Visit Accessibility at the Museum for more information.

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Egyptian life and death

Ethiopia and Coptic Egypt

Sudan, Egypt and Nubia

Egyptian death and afterlife: mummies

The Horizon of Khufu: A Journey in Ancient Egypt in London

Explore one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—an archaeological treasure trove and a monumental testament to Egyptian architectural genius. Embark on an immersive journey through space and time to explore Egypt's Giza Pyramid, the resting place of Pharaoh Khufu, constructed over 4,500 years ago in the 4th Dynasty and until now a forbidden realm to the public! The experience allows visitors to physically move and interact within a shared virtual reality space, providing a deeply emotional and engaging dive into the heart of Egyptian culture.

ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

A captivating journey that transports you through time and space

Uncover the mysteries of the Great Pyramid of Giza and experience the funeral rites of an Egyptian king! This unique journey aims to make a significant part of the Giza Plateau pyramids accessible to all, unlocking a treasure trove of history for everyone to explore.

Dive into history with the immersive power of virtual reality.

Equipped with a virtual reality headset, the experience takes you on a journey through ancient Egypt and the customs of the time. This expedition is full of scientific, cultural, and ethnological references to explore the era of the pharaohs.

An Authentic and Unique Adventure

The 'Horizon of Khufu' Immersive Expedition has been designed to be as accurate as possible. After several years of research and data collection in the field, in collaboration with Peter Der Manuelian, Professor of Egyptology, and his team from the Giza Project at Harvard University, the experience has come to life. The goal is to offer you an experience based on real data, combining architecture, science, and history, for an authentic immersion.

Practical Info

• ⏳ Duration: 45 minutes
• 📍 Location: Horizon of Khufu, 1, The Street, Ground Floor, London E20 1EJ, United Kingdom
• 👤 Height requirement: minimum height of 1.10m
• 💵 Price: discover our different ticket options

It was absolutely amazing, the most exciting VR experience I’ve ever done!

This experience is amazing from start to finish

The experience is of being immersed into the animated world of ancient Egypt

Great immersive experience, really felt like you were amongst the pyramids

Unbelievable! So realistic I actually thought I would fall off the side of the pyramid!

THE HORIZON OF KHUFU: LONDON LOCATION

Any questions? Find the answers here!

THE EXPERIENCE

Yes. We invite our guests to take photos and videos for personal use only and would love for you to tag us at @horizonofkhufu_stratford .

Please note, the use of flashes and tripods are strictly prohibited. Press photography (and any other photography for professional use) is only possible if authorized by a staff member.

We recommend dressing comfortably and wearing suitable shoes. Because you will be wearing a VR headset, please refrain from wearing hats or caps.

For everyone's safety, we kindly ask you to store your backpacks and handbags in the lockers provided on site.

• Middle or Higher rate DLA for care and/or mobility.
• Receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• Evidence of being severely sight impaired.
• CredAbility Access Card – + 1 category requirement.
• A recognised Assistance Dog ID Card.
• The Fever App, available on Google Play and Apple Store .
• The Fever website .

LOCATION & PARKING

Health & security.

Virtual reality provides a reliable and enjoyable experience, but it may be uncomfortable for some individuals. It's not recommended for those with claustrophobia.

People prone to motion sickness may also experience discomfort when using a VR headset. This might lead to symptoms like drowsiness, increasing the risk of injury during real-world activities.

Children aged 8 to 12 must be accompanied to take part in the experience.

The Horizon of Khufu experience is suitable for families with children aged 8 and above. Children under the age of 8 are not allowed to participate, even when carried by an adult, for safety reasons.

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An Egypt Virtual Tour For Kids

A note to the grown-ups:  This virtual tour is designed for minimal supervision and with a variety of activities depending on child’s interest, not all activities are meant to be completed.  Even if your kids are not reading yet, each section has a graphic to indicate what is about.  Kids can click on the graphic or in activity description for videos.  Non-readers can just skip the reading sections if parents are working or unavailable.  The recipes are ideas for you and your child to make together.  Crafts will likely need supervision.  

Children can keep track of their virtual tours with the Virtual Tours Passport Coloring Book

Post photos of activities to social media using the hashtag #ExploreMoreVirtualTours or tag @exploremorefamilytravel.  Thank you!

مرحبا اهلا بك في مصر

Hello welcome to egypt.

There is so much to love about Egypt. Our Egyptian adventure starts with some facts, then is broken down into twelve sections:  Overview , Books , Podcast , Coloring , Music , Crafts , S.T.E.M. , Animals , Tours , Food , Movement , & Movie . You do not have to do all of the sections, scroll to whatever interests you.

Quick Facts About Egypt

Where is egypt.

Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa.  It is surrounded by the countries of Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, Israel and the Gaza strip to the east.  It is also is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea,.

What Is The Capital Of Egypt?

More About Egypt

• The people of Egypt speak Arabic.
• The Sinai Peninsula in Egypt spans across two continents, Africa and Asia.
• The Nile River is the longest river in the world and flows north through Egypt and, finally, into the Mediterranean Sea. 
• Ancient Egyptians built pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs (rulers of Ancient Egypt) and their families. 
• Over 130 pyramids still exist in Egypt today.
• The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. 
•  Cats were sacred animals to the Ancient Egyptians.
• Hieroglyphics were developed by Ancient Egyptians and were one of the first form of writing in the world.
• The Egyptian alphabet contained more than 700 hieroglyphs!   Bonus Link  to learn more about hieroglyphics.

EGYPT ADVENTURE OVERVIEW

National Geographic Kids​

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/egypt/

Bonus: Nile River Overview

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/physical-geography/nile-river-facts/

BOOKS & STORIES

The Egyptian Cinderella

We're sailing down the nile, the well of truth, ancient egyptian adventure.

Listen to this ‘Dad and Me Love History’ podcast with special guests, Egyptologist and author Malayna Evans, and her daughter Soren.  This podcast will take you inside the Pyramids and tell you all about tree goddesses, cat lovers and looking good in the afterlife. The special guests reveal that the most famous ‘Egyptian’ of them all isn’t even Egyptian!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/19-ancient-egypt-crazy-or-cool/id1346382732?i=1000434318730

Play this Egyptian music in the background while coloring and doing crafts.

This coloring sheet is a color by numbers of an Egyptian princess:  http://coloritbynumbers.com/printables/hard/princesses/princess-of-egypt

And here is a coloring sheet of the Pyramids: https://www.education.com/download/worksheet/80894/color-world-egypt.pdf

My kids love connect the dots activities so I am going to start including one each week in the coloring section.  You can color it after.  This one is of a mommy camel and her baby.   http://www.connectthedots101.com/worksheet_print/id_2791/Camel/baby-camel-sahara-egypt

While you listen to the music, make your own Pharaoh Headdress Printable Craft

You can also make these Egyptian cat mummies with toilet paper or paper towel rolls: Egyptian Cat Mummies

S.T.E.M. ACTIVITY

Mummification STEM Project

Here are instructions for mummifying an apple.  Kind of gross, but also kind of cool.  Get permission from a grown up before doing this one!

https://ourfamilycode.com/learn-the-science-of-mummification-with-apple-mummies/

What's Inside A Camel Hump?

Camels eating cacti, animals along the nile.

Are We There Yet World Adventure - Egypt

Journey down the nile river, kids guide to egypt.

https://www.youvisit.com/tour/shayanna.baron/egyptian

It’s not exactly Egyptian food, but it is based on the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification.  And since Halloween is coming soon,  click here to find out how to make mummy hot dogs!.

About Egyptian Food

Here is an article about food in Egypt .  You probably already eat one of the popular foods at home – hummus is very popular in Egypt!

TIME TO MOVE

Cosmic Kids Yoga

Cosmic Kids Yoga – Alan the Camel

The Prince Of Egypt

If your parents will let you watch a movie about Egypt, The Prince of Egypt is a great choice!

Thank you for visiting Egypt with us today!  Make sure to download the passport coloring book below.  We will add a new page with each virtual tour.  Ask a grown up if you need help.

Download Virtual Tours Passport Coloring Book

Egypt Passport Stamp

Please select fit to paper when printing the single passport stamp.

Want To Keep Exploring?

Click here to do our  Peru Virtual Tour !

FOR THE GROWN-UPS

To make sure you get to take our virtual adventures as they are available, please join our Facebook Group ‘ Explore More Learning Culture At Home ‘

Follow Us On Social Media!

If your kids liked this virtual tour, please pin this and ....

Show Us Some Love On Social Media

Ancient Egypt: Land of the Pyramids

Preview video by clicking the “play” arrow

Let’s have a close-up look at the magnificent structures that the Ancient Egyptians have left behind for us to marvel over, even thousands of years later. Pyramids, Sphinxes, and many, many temples delight our senses as we take this trip back in time to the Land of the Pyramids.

Video Length: 19:51 minutes

Watch Full Video*

*authorized members

National Standards for this video

State standards, learning resources with this video*.

Quizzes – PDF & Online

Phenomenal Pyramids Compare and Contrast Organizer

Map Skills in Ancient Egypt

Writing in Ancient Egypt

Draw A Scene

Building Pyramids

Ancient Egyptian Artifacts

Universal Resources

National Standards

*Links are active on Full Video page.

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• Unlimited viewing of 1 video
• Post-trip quiz + resources for 1 video
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Classroom Ideas 

Draw a New Sphinx

Students draw their own version of the sphinx, using the body of an animal other than a lion or cat. Ask them to explain why their sphinx would be even better.

Build A Pyramid

Use various craft materials to build a model of one of Ancient Egypt’s Pyramids. Alternatively, visit a website like the one at www.polyhedra.net where you can print out templates and glue together a 3D Pyramid. 

Discuss how a model is a smaller version of a large structure.

Have students print out a map of Ancient Egypt and identify where the sites in the video are located.

Ancient Timeline

Create a timeline that shows what was happening in each of the Ancient Civilizations at certain points in time.   For example, who created calendars and at what point in time? Who was building pyramids and when?

Ancient Egyptian Art

Have students recreate Ancient Egyptian wall art and murals.  

Social Hierarchy

Ask students to recreate the social pyramid of Ancient Egypt.   Who is at the top? Who is at the bottom? What role did each layer play in society?

Ancient Civilization Comparisons

Divide your class into smaller groups, with each group responsible for further researching how each ancient civilization has benefited the world.   They need to bring props to show (photos, food, items that represents tools and discoveries by each group).

Ancient Games

Find games and sports that were played during the specific ancient civilizations, teach students, and then have them play this game or sport. Alternatively, students could create one.

Discussion Topic

After studying about a specific ancient civilization (Ancient Greece, Romans, Mayans, Egypt, etc. ), have a class discussion about what a day in the life of a person would be like.  

Contact your local college or university to see if they have an archaeology program.   If so, see if your class can visit them and learn what has been discovered by structures and buildings left behind.

Draw a scene from the video you just watched.

7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Create a lesson about all seven of the Wonders of the Ancient World, or have students research the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Write Like an Egyptian!

Show students examples of Egyptian hieroglyphics, explaining that hieroglyphics were a mode of writing. Ask students to create their own system of symbols, requiring them to compile a vocabulary of at least five words (for example, names of animals, etc).

Pyramid Theory

There are many theories about how the Pyramids were made.   Research these differing theories, then have a discussion or write about them.

Go to the Smithsonian website (maybe also the Louvre?) to show pictures of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, pyramids, etc.  

Gods and Goddesses

Have students make a list of the gods and goddesses mentioned in the video. List the areas of importance for each deity. Students can also research gods and goddesses that were not mentioned in the video, in order to add to the list.

Choose a God/Goddess

Study the different Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.   Have each student choose one and either dress like one, create a sculpture, or paint a picture of the God or Goddess that was chosen.   They can explain what they learned and why they chose that specific God or Goddess.

Reading Suggestion

Have students read The Golden Goblet  by Eloise Jarvis McGraw.  This book will provide an insight of what it would be like for a kid to live during Ancient Egyptian times.

The Pharaoh's Crowns

Research the different Royal Crowns that an Egyptian Pharaoh may have worn and then have students make one that they can wear.

Pyramid Comparisons

Have students compare the structure and purpose(s) of the Egyptian vs. Mayan pyramids. Discuss how they are similar and different. Discuss the techniques used to build each style of pyramid.

Create a diorama of Ancient Egypt’s landmarks and structures.

Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos

Here are dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!

Topics Covered In This Video

Pyramids of Giza

Valley of the Kings

Valley of the Queens

Deir el-Medina

Medinet Habu

Edfu – Temple of Horus

Philae – Temple of Isis

Abu Simbel – Temple of Ramses II

Videos in this Series

Ancient Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs

Ancient Greece: Birthplace of Democracy

Ancient Rome

Ancient Mayan Civilization

Pin it on pinterest.

All three of Giza's famed pyramids and their elaborate burial complexes were built during a frenetic period of construction, from roughly 2550 to 2490 B.C. The pyramids were built by Pharaohs Menkaure (front), Khafre (middle), and Khufu (back),

• HISTORY & CULTURE

The Pyramids at Giza were built to endure an eternity—but how?

How the ancient wonder was built is one of Egypt's biggest mysteries. But archaeologists do have insight into who built them—and what they hold inside.

The Giza Pyramids, built to endure an eternity, have done just that. The monumental tombs are relics of Egypt's   Old Kingdom era and were constructed some 4,500 years ago.

Egypt's pharaohs expected to become gods in the afterlife. To prepare for the next world they erected temples to the gods and massive pyramid tombs for themselves—filled with all the things each ruler would need to guide and sustain himself in the next world.

Each of the three massive pyramids is but one part of a larger complex, including a palace, temples, solar boat pits, and other features. Here’s what to know about who built them, how they were built—and the treasures we’ve discovered inside.

Who built the Pyramids of Giza?

Pharaoh Khufu was the first Egyptian king to build a pyramid in Giza, a project he began in circa 2550 B.C. His Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza and originally towered some 481 feet (147 meters) above the plateau—it’s a bit shorter now with its smooth casing stones long gone. Its estimated 2.3 million stone blocks each weigh an average of 2.5 to 15 tons.

Khufu's son, Khafre, built the second pyramid at Giza, circa 2520 B.C. His necropolis, or burial ground, stands out on the landscape because it also includes the Sphinx, a mysterious limestone monument with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh. The Sphinx, which before the 1800s spent thousands of years buried in the sand with only its head visible, may stand sentinel for the pharaoh’s tomb complex, although there’s no definitive proof that he built it.

( Who did build the Spinx? 4,500 years later, we took a fresh look .)

Introducing Nat Geo Kids Book Bundle!

The third of the Giza Pyramids is considerably smaller than the first two—less than half their height at about 218 feet. Built by Khafre’s son Menkaure circa 2490 B.C. the pyramid’s elaborate complex includes two separate temples connected by a long causeway, and three individual queens’ pyramids. Menkaure’s chambers include niche decorations unique to Giza and a vaulted ceiling in his burial chamber itself. The pharaoh’s elaborate sarcophagus was lost at sea near Gibraltar in 1838.

How were the pyramids built?

The ancient engineering feats at Giza were so impressive that even today scientists and engineers can't be sure exactly how the pyramids were built. Yet they have learned much about the people who built them and the political power necessary to make it happen.

The builders were skilled Egyptian workers who lived in a nearby temporary city sprawling over some 17 acres. The remains of bakeries and piles of animal bones show that they were very well fed for their labor. Archaeological digs on the fascinating site have revealed a highly organized community, rich with resources, that must have been backed by strong central authority.

( Who was the first Pharaoh? )

Archaeological sites across Egypt and records written on ancient papyri show that boatmen used the Nile and a network of artificial waterways to bring materials to the Giza Plateau, including granite from Aswan quarries, copper cutting tools from the Sinai Peninsula, and timber from Lebanon. To sustain the workers, they also delivered cattle from farms near the Nile Delta.

It's likely that communities across Egypt contributed workers, as well as food and other essentials, for what became in some ways a national project to display the wealth and control of the ancient pharaohs.

Scientists and engineers are still debating exactly how the pyramids were constructed. It’s generally believed that the Egyptians moved massive stone blocks to the heights along large ramps, greased by water or wet clay, using a system of sledges, ropes, rollers, and levers. Some suggest exterior ramps either zig-zagged or spiraled around each pyramid, while a more controversial theory suggests internal ramps were used.

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This ancient diary reveals how Egyptians built the Great Pyramid

How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt's Great Pyramid

How did this female pharaoh survive being erased from history?

These secrets of the pyramids’ construction may lie below the surface. Perhaps as future imaging technology reveals the arrangements of blocks inside, they will provide a blueprint for how Egyptian builders created these timeless monuments.

If the pyramids helped to build ancient Egypt, they also preserved it. Giza allows us to explore a long-vanished world.

"Many people think of the site as just a cemetery in the modern sense, but it's a lot more than that," says Harvard University Egyptologist Peter Der Manuelian . "In these decorated tombs you have wonderful scenes of every aspect of life in ancient Egypt—so it's not just about how Egyptians died but how they lived."

( How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt’s Great Pyramid .)

Tomb art includes depictions of ancient farmers working their fields and tending livestock, fishing and bird hunting, practicing carpentry, wearing costumes, and performing religious rituals and burial practices.

Inscriptions and texts also allow research into Egyptian grammar and language. "Almost any subject you want to study about Pharaonic civilization is available on the tomb walls at Giza," Der Manuelian says.

Many of these unique resources are freely accessible to all at The Giza Project , an enormous collection of photographs, plans, drawings, manuscripts, object records, and expedition diaries from the world's leading institutions, gathered together in an incredible online repository for Giza-related material.

This collection preserves paintings and inscriptions that have since faded away, captures artifacts that have been lost or destroyed, and unlocks tombs not accessible to the public.

And while nothing could ever replicate the experience of a personal visit to Giza, the reconstructions of GIZA 3D may be the closest you can get. Virtual visitors from anywhere in the world can wander the wonders of the plateau and take guided tours of pyramids, temples, and even tombs.

What are we still discovering about the pyramids?

The pyramids of Giza still hold plenty of secrets. And while scientists continue to make new discoveries, many of them also raise new questions.

The ScanPyramids project , an international team under the authority of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, has been using modern technology to delve inside the pyramids since 2015 without setting foot inside. Advances in high-energy particle physics have allowed them to use cosmic rays to uncover various empty spaces that had been hidden for 4,500 years—including one void that rivals the size of the pyramid’s Grand Gallery and another passage, dubbed the North Face Corridor,   to the Pyramid of Khufu.

It’s unclear if anything is inside these spaces, but most experts believe they have no ritual significance. Instead, they were likely used during construction, a carefully engineered system to distribute the weight and stress of these iconic structures that have definitely stood the test of time.  

Related Topics

• ARCHAEOLOGY
• ANCIENT EGYPT
• ANCIENT HISTORY
• ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Who built the Sphinx? Who broke its nose? 4,500 years later, a fresh look

Scientists find evidence of ancient waterway beside Egypt’s pyramids

Was this woman Egypt's first female pharaoh?

He was the first pharaoh found intact in his tomb—but he wasn't alone

Ramses II ruled for 70 years and had 100 children. Egypt paid the price.

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