The Egyptian Antiquities Museum is arranged chronologically from left to right, and more recent excavations and large exhibits are placed in the central "Rotunda". The highlights of our tour around the museum in the limited time we had, were the Akhenaten room, King Tut's treasures, and Pharaoh Rameses II's colossal statues. Guide books mention an upper foyer containing small but famous masterpieces, including an ivory statuette of Khufu from Abydos, bust of Queen Tiyi, blue faience hippopotami, and so on, but we read of this too late and didn't see any of them on either of our visits.

The central rotunda is very interesting, especially due to the large and beautifully sculpted figures of various pharaohs, including those of the Pharaoh Rameses II. Unfortunately, limited time prevented us from going through these displays in detail, but we nonetheless admired the rippling muscles and smooth flowing lines of the various sculptures in this section.

The most interesting aspect about the statues in the Akhenaten room is their marked contrast to typical pharonic sculpting. There is a statue of King Akhenaten that is almost grotesque in comparison with the other pharaohs' statues: big hips, narrow chest, disproportionate arms, and narrow head! Egyptologists believe that this was the more realistic representation of the Egyptians, and that King Akhenaten was a firm votary of representing things in their natural form, including himself!

King Tutankhamen, (nee Tut-ankh-aton) son of Akhenaten and his beautiful queen Nefertiti, was the boy king who died at 18 or 19. His was the only tomb found intact with its treasures, attributed to the fact that grave robbers did not find it worthwhile to bother with his tomb as not containing enough treasures. Also, a subsequent pharaoh built his tomb right over King Tut's and thus contributed to that bit of history being preserved for us. The treasures of King Tut have to be seen to be believed. When you go through his collection, you will realise how ironical this seems, and the magnitude of the other pharaohs' treasures can only be imagined. Don't miss the pharaoh's throne, which is coated with gold and inlaid with a lot of colored glass, stones and silver. The legs are in the shape of those of a lion, and armrests are in the form of two serpents! Other chairs that form a part of this collection are equally amazing, and are beautiful and contemporary even by today's sense of fashion. Other attractions are alabaster vases, beds, couches, and other furniture reportedly used by the pharaoh in his daily living. One dramatic display is the solid gold mask of Tutankhamen, perfectly designed, executed and preserved. The mask is decorated with inlaid stripes of glass, eyebrows and eyelids are inlaid with lapis lazuli and the necklace with precious stones and glass. Other items on display are breathtaking pieces of jewellery.

Tutankhamen's granite sarcophagus is in situ in his tomb in the Valley of Kings. It contained three coffins, of which the outer most and the inner most coffin are in the museum, while the middle one is in situ, and contains the mummy. The inner coffin is made of solid gold and weighs..... hold your breath: 495 pounds (220 kg)!

You could do your shopping for Egyptian trinkets and momentos at the museum shop attached to the museum. Prices are somewhat higher than those in Khan el Khalili, but we found the quality to be much better, and moreover, it's a fixed price shop. We only bought cuff links here, but they have the entire range of take-home curios and gifts.