The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a monumental museum complex at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza, is beginning to reveal itself as one of the most ambitious museum projects ever conceived. Covering more than 500,000 square meters and housing a collection of over 100,000 artifacts, GEM is poised to become the largest archaeological museum ever built and an international hub for the research, preservation, and promotion of ancient Egyptian heritage.
Goppion is very proud to be involved in such a major contribution to global culture. In 2017 we were selected through an international competition to design, manufacture and install display cases in some of the galleries. Our contribution to GEM is grounded in an interdisciplinary approach combining expertise in microclimate regulation inside display cases, materials engineering, airtightness optimization, and long-term exhibition design.
For nearly ten years, Goppion worked on the museum’s installation in close collaboration with clients and exhibition designers, as part of the international team involved in bringing this epoch-defining museum to life. In particular, Goppion collaborated with exhibition design firms Atelier Brückner, Haley Sharpe Design and Cultural Innovations. It was a project of the highest level and complexity, requiring vast resources, the production of hundreds of display cases, and the ongoing development of tailor-made technical solutions calibrated to the physical-chemical nature and specific vulnerabilities of each artifact—ensuring maximum stability and long-term preservation.
Among the highlights of Goppion’s work are custom-designed cases for the Tutankhamun Gallery showcasing approximately 5,000 objects from his tomb, the first time the full collection is displayed together.
This includes a huge display case (12m x 5m x 3m) for King Tut’s five gold chariots.
Goppion’s cases have been conceived in accordance with the highest international standards for museum conservation: optically neutral, fully transparent glass; extremely airtight structures (as low as 0.1 AER); integrated microclimate control systems (both active and passive) with centralized and remote monitoring and adjustment capabilities; invisible opening mechanisms; and anti-vibration mounting systems.
These solutions meet stringent conservation standards, preserving delicate organic materials (feathers, wood, textiles), metals, and other extremely fragile items.
Technical features include: <0.1 AER airtightness; passive and active climate control (RH, temperature, nitrogen); a remote-controlled centralized system with differentiated RH levels in individual cases; concealed magnetic gaskets, invisible security locks, and custom interiors; and adjustable LED lighting integrated with plinths, partitions, and shelving.
These solutions are based on patented technologies developed in-house by the Goppion Research department, which over the years has defined new paradigms in conservation engineering for museums.
Among the most extraordinary artifacts on display are more than 5,000 objects from the funerary collection of Tutankhamun, never before presented to the public in its entirety. Some of these, such as the ceremonial ostrich-feather fan with ivory handle or the five gilded chariots, represent edge cases for contemporary museum conservation: heterogeneous natural materials, highly perishable and of exceptional historical and symbolic value. For the fan in particular, a modified-atmosphere display case was designed—completely oxygen-free and calibrated based on in-depth analysis of the organic and mineral components.
GEM is emerging not only as a museum but also as a new cultural, archaeological, and scientific hub for Egypt and for the world. As always, Goppion brings together exhibition design and rigorous conservation requirements, advancing innovation in museum engineering to support the long-term protection of humanity’s shared heritage.
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