Luxor Museum

The Luxor Museum is one of Egypt's finest and most beautifully presented museums, a relatively compact, superbly curated collection of antiquities on the east bank of the Nile in Luxor (ancient Thebes). Unlike the overwhelming scale of Cairo's collections, Luxor Museum is a model of thoughtful display: well-lit, uncluttered galleries let you truly appreciate each masterpiece. Highlights include exquisite statuary recovered from the nearby temples (notably a cache of stunning statues found buried at Luxor Temple), beautifully crafted objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun, and a fascinating gallery on the 'heretic' pharaoh Akhenaten, including reconstructed wall reliefs from his temple at Karnak.

It's an essential, rewarding stop that adds rich context to a visit to Luxor's great temples and the Valley of the Kings. Air-conditioned and manageable in a couple of hours, it's especially worthwhile for understanding the art and history of Thebes. Allow about two hours; it's particularly pleasant in the heat of the day.

Don't miss

• Superbly displayed Theban statuary
• A cache of statues found buried at Luxor Temple
• Objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun
• The Akhenaten gallery with reconstructed reliefs
• A calm, well-curated alternative to larger museums

Good for

How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Smaller and far better presented than Cairo's vast collections.
• Don't miss the Luxor Temple statue cache and the Akhenaten gallery.
• Air-conditioned, a great refuge in the midday heat.
• It adds rich context to Luxor's temples and the Valley of the Kings.

A bit of history

Opened in 1975 on the Nile corniche, the Luxor Museum was designed to display a select, high-quality collection of artefacts from the Theban region, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, and other local sites, in a modern, carefully lit setting.