In preparation for the opening of the central and mummies exhibition galleries of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, the museum received a statue of King Merenptah, son of King Ramses II and the fourth king of the nineteenth dynasty, and the goddess Hathor, coming from Met Rahina, to be showcased as part of the display scenario of the museum’s central gallery.

This statue is one of the largest statues of King Merenptah ever found. The statue is about 2.60 meters high, with a width of one meter, a depth of 0.75 meters, and a weight of more than four tons, the statue is carved from pink granite that was cut from the quarries of Aswan, and it depicts King Merenptah holding the goddess Hathor’s hand, who stands to his left, and they wear a double crown. The statue is decorated with inscriptions of hieroglyphs on all four sides with the titles of the king and the goddess Hathor.

Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, stated that King Merneptah’s mummy will be received as a royal mummy, during the majestic parade and the international celebration that will take place from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, he added that it will be displayed in the Royal Mummies gallery. He stressed that the museum, when it opens, attract visitors from Egypt and all over the world, which increases the importance of the museum and its economic return.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is one of the most important national projects of Egypt, as it is one of the largest international museums, as well as the only museum of its kind in Egypt, the Arab world, the Middle East and Africa, the museum showcases the richness and diversity of the Egyptian civilization from the prehistoric era to the present day. The museum has diverse archaeological and historical collections. It also highlights aspects of the Egyptian heritage by telling the story of its daily life and traditional arts and crafts.

In 2017, Dr. Khaled El Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Ms. Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, inaugurated a temporary exhibition gallery in the museum.