The idea for the Grand Egyptian Museum began in the 1990s, and in 2002, the foundation stone was laid for the museum project, which is to be built on a prime site overlooking the timeless Giza Pyramids. The Egyptian government, under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Union of Architects, announced an international architectural competition for the best museum design. The winning design, submitted by the Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, is based on the concept that the sun's rays, emanating from the apex of the three pyramids, will form a conical mass representing the Grand Egyptian Museum. Construction of the museum began in May 2005 with the site preparation and leveling. In 2006, the largest center for the restoration of antiquities in the Middle East was established, dedicated to the restoration, preservation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the artifacts slated for display in the museum's galleries. The center was inaugurated in 2010.

A civilization whose races and sciences have ended, but whose wealth remains.