As the sun sets over the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), its Grand Hall is preparing to become a storyteller.
The museum marks the first anniversary of its opening today with the launch of “Eternal Sun”, a 35-minute immersive show combining projected light, live music and narration to trace 5,000 years of Egyptian history.
The show begins with humans observing nature and asking questions about the world around them, said its creative director, Amr Abdel Nasser.
“Where does the sun go?” he asked, describing how such questions gave rise to myths, including the story of the sun god Ra descending, facing dangers and returning again.
“As people came to understand life and the world, they began to plant, harvest and build,” he said. The show then follows the cultures that shaped Egypt over time, ending with traditions that continue today.
“We wanted to tell a new and different story,” Abdel Nasser told The Gazette. “People have been telling stories about ancient Egyptian history for years and years.”
The creative team chose to focus on people and the questions they asked, he said, as well as how their answers helped them build a civilisation and how that culture survives in new forms today.
“Eternal Sun” uses projection mapping on the Grand Hall’s walls and architectural surfaces, accompanied by moving lights, live music and narration in Arabic and English.
The production draws inspiration from natural cycles, including sunrise and sunset, the flooding of the Nile and harvest seasons. It explores ancient Egyptians’ relationship with nature and the idea of renewal and continuity.
Abdel Nasser said the technology allowed the team to turn the museum itself into a narrator while celebrating the building. The show also explores ancient Egyptian views of the universe, life and death, and how beliefs and myths influenced art and architecture.
GEM CEO Ahmed Ghoneim said the production was part of an effort to present archaeological, cultural and historical content in innovative ways.
He added that such events could enrich Egypt’s tourism offering and strengthen its position as a cultural destination.
Merit El-Sayed, chief executive of museum services operator Legacy, said the programme was also intended to encourage repeat visits and make use of the museum’s spaces outside regular hours.
“Eternal Sun” is the first event in an anniversary programme running until the end of the year. It will be presented after normal visiting hours, with two shows a day on five days a week, excluding Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Tickets are available through the museum’s official booking website.
