Museum of Islamic Art Cairo: tickets, opening hours and rules

The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo opens every day of the week from 9am to 5pm, and the ticket window closes at 4pm, an hour before the doors. An Egyptian adult pays EGP 20 and an Egyptian student EGP 10. Foreign visitors pay EGP 340, or EGP 170 for students. Children under 6 go in free, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Tickets

Egyptians: adult EGP 20, student EGP 10. Foreigners: adult EGP 340, student EGP 170. The ministry's page lists only these two groups and does not publish a separate price for Arab visitors or residents.

Who goes in free

The ministry lists five groups: Egyptians aged 60 and over; Egyptians with special needs; orphaned children; school trips from government and Al-Azhar primary and preparatory schools, booked in advance through the Rehla platform; and children under 6.

Opening hours

Sunday to Saturday: 9am to 5pm, with the ticket window closing at 4pm. During Ramadan the museum opens from 9am to 3pm and the ticket window closes at 2pm. The page does not list separate hours for public holidays.

What you will see

The museum holds one of the largest collections of Islamic art in the world. The idea of gathering the pieces dates back to 1880, and the building opened in 1903 under Khedive Abbas Helmy II. Its front is built in the Mamluk style, and it stands next to the National Library of Egypt. The museum was renovated and reopened in 2017.

The galleries spread over two floors and take visitors through every period of Islamic history, with pieces from across the Islamic world on subjects such as astronomy, medicine and architecture. Look out for finely carved woodwork, decorated ceramics and rare manuscripts. Two of the best-known pieces are a Mamluk key to the Kaaba in Mecca and a textile carrying the oldest known Kufic inscription. The ministry's page offers a brochure of the museum to download.

Photos

Taking photos with a mobile phone is free. Flash, tripods and monopods are not allowed, and visitors are asked not to photograph other visitors or staff. Filming for commercial use (television, cinema, advertising, documentaries) needs permission from the authorities and a daily fee.

Rules inside

Do not touch exhibits or showcases. Food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries, except small bottles of water. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the museum, and neither are audio players, flashlights or laser pointers. Appropriate clothing is requested. Children must stay with an adult at all times.

Bags, backpacks and parcels larger than 40 by 40 cm go in the cloakroom, as do umbrellas and any sharp items. Bags may be searched. Pets, musical instruments and folding seats are not allowed in the galleries without permission from museum security.

Art students who want to sketch may use pencils only, no pens or markers, and sketchbooks may not be larger than 18 by 24 inches.

Services

The ministry lists a lecture room, a library, a lift, labels in Braille, toilets including an accessible toilet, parking, a ramped entrance, sign language and a gift shop.

Common questions

Is there a combined ticket with other Cairo museums? The ministry's page does not list one. Can I book online? The museum's page does not give an online booking link; it lists the ticket window hours. Is the museum open on Friday? Yes, the published hours are the same seven days a week.