Exclusive: Galleries could welcome visitors as early as Wednesday, though ‘King Tut’ collection will remain at the central Cairo location for now

The Grand Egyptian Museum will partially open its main galleries on Wednesday, including 12 halls that exhibit aspects of ancient Egypt, as part of a trial run, officials say.

The museum, a mega-project near the famed Giza Pyramids which has cost well over $1 billion so far, will open the halls for 4,000 visitors as a trial run until the official opening date, which is yet to be announced,

Egypt opened a series of galleries to the public on Tuesday in its flagship new museum, but the glittering King Tutankhamun collection and solar boats buried by the Pyramid of Khufu are yet to be unveiled,

The museum, which will feature more than 100,000 ancient artifacts, has had its launch delayed multiple times due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic.