Rebuilding Khufu’s Legend: A Historic Live Restoration of the Pharaoh’s Cedar Bark at the GEM

In an extraordinary fusion of history and transparency, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) has begun the live reassembly of King Khufu’s second solar boat. Visitors can now witness restorers meticulously piecing together approximately 1,650 cedar wood components of the 42-meter-long vessel. This ambitious project, expected to span four years, aims to restore the ancient craft to its original glory—4,500 years after it was first buried near the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy hailed the initiative as "one of the most significant restoration projects of the 21st century." While scholars continue to debate the boat’s purpose—whether as a funerary ferry for the King’s body or a symbolic "Solar Barque" for his journey with the sun god Ra—the GEM solidifies its status as the world’s premier archaeological institution. Located steps away from the Pyramids, the museum seeks to leverage these unparalleled treasures to revitalize Egypt’s tourism and global cultural footprint.