When the sites are open.
A consolidated reference for the museums and archaeological complexes covered in the readings. Hours are operator-published values, verified at the start of each season.
Egyptian archaeological sites and museums broadly observe a uniform calendar, with longer hours in the cooler months from October to March, and earlier closures during the high summer. Friday hours are typically shorter to accommodate noon prayers. Many sites adjust during Ramadan; the dates of the holy month shift each year.
Museums
| Institution | City | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Egyptian Museum | Giza | 09:00 – 19:00 daily 09:00 – 21:00 Thursdays | Last entry 90 min before close |
| Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) | Cairo | 09:00 – 17:00 daily 09:00 – 21:00 Sundays / Thursdays | Royal Mummies Hall sold separately |
| National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) | Fustat, Cairo | 09:00 – 17:00 (Sat – Wed) 09:00 – 21:00 (Thu / Sun) | Royal Mummies Hall now resides here |
| Coptic Museum | Old Cairo | 09:00 – 16:00 daily | Closes earlier during Coptic feasts |
| Museum of Islamic Art | Bab al-Khalq, Cairo | 09:00 – 17:00 daily | Closed Friday morning |
| Bibliotheca Alexandrina | Alexandria | 10:00 – 18:00 (Sun – Thu) 14:00 – 18:00 (Fri – Sat) | Reading rooms separate from visitor access |
| Alexandria National Museum | Alexandria | 09:00 – 16:30 daily | Three floors, Pharaonic to modern |
| Nubia Museum | Aswan | 09:00 – 13:00 & 17:00 – 21:00 | Long midday closure |
| Luxor Museum | Luxor | 09:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 22:00 | Evening hours preferred |
Archaeological sites & temple complexes
| Site | Region | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Giza Necropolis & Sphinx | Giza | 07:00 – 17:00 (winter); 07:00 – 19:00 (summer) |
| Saqqara & Step Pyramid | Memphis | 08:00 – 17:00 daily |
| Karnak Temple Complex | Luxor East | 06:00 – 17:30 (winter); 06:00 – 18:30 (summer) |
| Luxor Temple | Luxor East | 06:00 – 21:00 (illuminated after sunset) |
| Valley of the Kings | Luxor West | 06:00 – 17:00 daily |
| Hatshepsut Temple (Deir el-Bahari) | Luxor West | 06:00 – 17:00 daily |
| Medinet Habu | Luxor West | 06:00 – 17:00 daily |
| Philae Temple (Agilkia Island) | Aswan | 07:00 – 16:00 daily |
| Abu Simbel (both temples) | Nubia | 05:00 – 18:00 (sun-alignment days 04:30 open) |
| Edfu (Temple of Horus) | Edfu | 07:00 – 16:00 daily |
| Kom Ombo | Kom Ombo | 07:00 – 16:00 daily |
Sound and Light evening shows
Several major sites operate evening sound-and-light performances, in rotation by language. Show schedules are subject to change; current programmes appear at the visitor windows on the day.
- Giza Sound & Light — two shows each evening, English and a rotating second language (French, German, Spanish, Arabic). Begins at sunset.
- Karnak Sound & Light — three shows each evening, walking-tour format through the temple. English, French, German, Arabic.
- Philae Sound & Light — accessible only by boat after dark; two shows per evening.
Holidays affecting opening
The Coptic and Islamic calendars do not align with the Gregorian year, and several public holidays shift annually. The dates to plan around in 2026:
- 7 January — Coptic Christmas. NMEC and Coptic Museum closed.
- 25 April — Sinai Liberation Day. Most sites open; some museums shortened hours.
- 1 May — Labour Day. Most sites open.
- 22 February & 22 October — Abu Simbel solar alignment. The site opens at 04:30 on both mornings.
- End of Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr — sites operate Friday-style shortened hours.
- Coptic Easter — variable; Coptic Cairo sites closed for the long weekend.
The single best hour at any of these sites is the first one after opening. By nine the buses arrive.
Last verified: May 2026. Site hours are subject to revision by the Supreme Council of Antiquities; the editor checks the schedule at the start of each season but readers planning a precise itinerary should reconfirm.