Geology Museum
Encyclopedia
The Egyptian Geological Museum is a museum
in Cairo
, Egypt
. The museum was established in 1904 as part of the Egyptian Geological Survey, which had been started in 1896 under the direction of the Khedive Ismail
. The museum was the first of its kind in the Middle East
and the Africa
n continent.
(also known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities). The Geological museum had an exhibition hall with ceilings 4 metres (13 ft) high in order to accommodate the reconstructed fossil
skeletons of paleontological finds, which included a 3 metres (10 ft) high ancestral elephant. The first Museum Keeper was William Andrews, a paleontologist from London
's Natural History Museum
, in 1904, who was followed by Henry Osborne in 1906.
The original museum was expanded in 1968 with the construction of an annex designed to house the museum's laboratories for petrology
and paleontology
. The museum remained there in downtown Cairo
until 1982, when the original building was torn down to accommodate construction of the Cairo Metro
.
, a southern suburb of Cairo.
On display are the Fayoum vertebrates, a series of fossils that had been unearthed in 1898 by geologist Hugh Beadnell at Qasr Al-Sagha to the north of Birqet Qarun in the Fayoum desert. These artifacts were sent to the British Museum
for identification and returned to be displayed at the museum. The museum also includes examples of the natural history of Egypt, and how its geology and minerals helped make Egypt a world power.
Also in the museum's collection is the Nakhalite meteorite, a Martian meteorite that fell at the village of El Nakhla El Baharia village in 1911, and is one of rare meteorites known to have their origin in the planet Mars.
One of the main museum exhibitions is the type specimens of Kamil iron meteorite, which is huge iron meteorite fell on the ground 2000–5000 years ago (3-4) to strike the sandstone bedrocks of cretaceous period, 1000 km south west the Egyptian capital Cairo. The huge kinetic energy resulted from the meteorite collision with the ground created a medium-sized crater, 45 meter diameter and 15 meter depth as a result of pushing-off the sandstone country rocks at the point of the impact.
The meteorite itself exploded and disrupted into thousands of fragments ranging in size from minute grains of mm-seized up to several centimeters. Both the meteoritic fragments and the sandstone chunks are distributed around the crater in more or less regular arms extend 1-km distance from the crater center.
The new Museum administration takes steps to development the services of the museum. From January 2011 the museum staff began in achieving monthly scientific report on one of the interesting museum exhibitions.
Now there are comprehensive data on Jebel Kamil meteorite, which represents one of the more interesting exhibitions in the museum, as well as the Egyptian Dinosaurs, the gemstones etc.
The museum organizes weekly public meeting to discuss the culture and scientific interest of definite exhibitions of public attention.
During the last troubles spread in the government departments, while no visitor enter the exhibition Hall of the Museum, definite objects of historical interest including face of a Pharaonic statue made of basalt and a small Roman statue made of serpentine were disappeared. This is mystery feature for several reasons: There were no visitors to the museum at that time. This was happened at definite time corresponding the second month of coming the new director, who led immediately a comprehensive reform in the various sections of the museum since he became responsible on the museum. There were no any troubles in the museum to account for this mystery habit. The Egyptian Military recovered the objects except the small Roman Statue.
The museum opens from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm every day including the Fridays and the national holidays.
Contact information:
Phones ++02 25240916- ++ 02 25240916
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The museum was established in 1904 as part of the Egyptian Geological Survey, which had been started in 1896 under the direction of the Khedive Ismail
Isma'il Pasha
Isma'il Pasha , known as Ismail the Magnificent , was the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan from 1863 to 1879, when he was removed at the behest of the United Kingdom...
. The museum was the first of its kind in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n continent.
Museum history
The museum was initially housed in a Greco-Roman style building that was located in the gardens of the Ministry of Public Works in downtown Cairo; it was designed by Marcel Dourgnon, the French architect who had previously designed and constructed the Egyptian MuseumEgyptian Museum
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms....
(also known as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities). The Geological museum had an exhibition hall with ceilings 4 metres (13 ft) high in order to accommodate the reconstructed fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
skeletons of paleontological finds, which included a 3 metres (10 ft) high ancestral elephant. The first Museum Keeper was William Andrews, a paleontologist from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, in 1904, who was followed by Henry Osborne in 1906.
The original museum was expanded in 1968 with the construction of an annex designed to house the museum's laboratories for petrology
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
and paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
. The museum remained there in downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo, , has been the urban center of Cairo, Egypt since the late 19th century, when the district was designed and built.-History:The area, designed by prestigious French architects was commissioned by Khedive Ismail...
until 1982, when the original building was torn down to accommodate construction of the Cairo Metro
Cairo Metro
The Cairo Metro in Egypt is the first of only two full-fledged metro system in Africa, and the Arab World. The system consists of two operational lines, with construction having begun on a third line in 2006....
.
Present museum
The museum was transferred to its present location near MaadiMaadi
Maadi is a wealthy suburb south of Cairo, Egypt. The town is home to the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Cairo American College , Lycée Français du Caire , Misr American College , Maadi British International School , the Cairo Rugby Club, and the national Egyptian Geological Museum.-...
, a southern suburb of Cairo.
On display are the Fayoum vertebrates, a series of fossils that had been unearthed in 1898 by geologist Hugh Beadnell at Qasr Al-Sagha to the north of Birqet Qarun in the Fayoum desert. These artifacts were sent to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
for identification and returned to be displayed at the museum. The museum also includes examples of the natural history of Egypt, and how its geology and minerals helped make Egypt a world power.
Also in the museum's collection is the Nakhalite meteorite, a Martian meteorite that fell at the village of El Nakhla El Baharia village in 1911, and is one of rare meteorites known to have their origin in the planet Mars.
One of the main museum exhibitions is the type specimens of Kamil iron meteorite, which is huge iron meteorite fell on the ground 2000–5000 years ago (3-4) to strike the sandstone bedrocks of cretaceous period, 1000 km south west the Egyptian capital Cairo. The huge kinetic energy resulted from the meteorite collision with the ground created a medium-sized crater, 45 meter diameter and 15 meter depth as a result of pushing-off the sandstone country rocks at the point of the impact.
The meteorite itself exploded and disrupted into thousands of fragments ranging in size from minute grains of mm-seized up to several centimeters. Both the meteoritic fragments and the sandstone chunks are distributed around the crater in more or less regular arms extend 1-km distance from the crater center.
The new Museum administration takes steps to development the services of the museum. From January 2011 the museum staff began in achieving monthly scientific report on one of the interesting museum exhibitions.
Now there are comprehensive data on Jebel Kamil meteorite, which represents one of the more interesting exhibitions in the museum, as well as the Egyptian Dinosaurs, the gemstones etc.
The museum organizes weekly public meeting to discuss the culture and scientific interest of definite exhibitions of public attention.
During the last troubles spread in the government departments, while no visitor enter the exhibition Hall of the Museum, definite objects of historical interest including face of a Pharaonic statue made of basalt and a small Roman statue made of serpentine were disappeared. This is mystery feature for several reasons: There were no visitors to the museum at that time. This was happened at definite time corresponding the second month of coming the new director, who led immediately a comprehensive reform in the various sections of the museum since he became responsible on the museum. There were no any troubles in the museum to account for this mystery habit. The Egyptian Military recovered the objects except the small Roman Statue.
The museum opens from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm every day including the Fridays and the national holidays.
Contact information:
Phones ++02 25240916- ++ 02 25240916