Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy chaired a meeting of the board of directors of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. During the meeting, Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, the council's secretary-general, reviewed the work completed by its various sectors over the past two months, which saw notable progress in archaeological discoveries, documentation and restoration projects, the opening of a number of archaeological sites, and the results of temporary exhibitions of Egyptian antiquities held abroad.
El-Leithy said the "Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibition in London has received about 140,000 visitors since it opened last February, while the "Treasures of the Pharaohs" exhibition at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, United States, has received about 42,000 visitors since it opened last August.
The secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities pointed to the great success of the exhibition "Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums" during its run at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, where visitor numbers exceeded 600,000 over the exhibition period. This prompted the organizers and the museum's management to hold a press conference as the exhibition's run ended, to celebrate its success. The artifacts featured in the exhibition are currently being packed ahead of their return to Egypt.
During the meeting, a number of decisions were approved, including the draft memorandum of understanding to be signed between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Museum of Art History at Shanghai International Studies University in the People's Republic of China, for cooperation in museums and academic research. The memorandum includes exchange training programs for Shanghai International Studies University students at museums affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities, particularly the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and Luxor Museum, as well as the exchange of expertise and regular training programs, strengthening international cooperation in archaeology and art history and promoting the publication of scientific books and catalogues.
The items relating to the Supreme Council of Antiquities within the draft executive program of the cooperation agreement between the governments of Egypt and China, due to be signed between the two countries, were also approved.
The board also adopted a number of decisions of the foreign exhibitions committee, approving the extension of the "Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs" exhibition at Neon, Battersea Power Station, in London for an additional 4 months, so that it ends on 3 January 2027 instead of 30 August 2026. It also approved staging the "Treasures of the Pharaohs" exhibition at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip at the Perth Cultural Centre, following the end of its run at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, United States.
Separately, the board adopted a number of decisions of the Permanent Committee for Egyptian Antiquities and the Permanent Committee for Islamic Antiquities, including approving the opening of the Pyramid of Khafre to visitors and the closure of the Pyramid of Menkaure, under the rotation system (alternating opening and closing) for carrying out periodic maintenance of the pyramid, as well as a number of decisions relating to the work of archaeological missions at several sites and the registration of a group of artifacts uncovered in excavations.
