Inauguration of Grand Egyptian Museum

Egypt officially opened on Saturday the Grand Egyptian Museum, a long-awaited, billion-dollar showcase of pharaonic grandeur that Cairo, Egypt hopes will revive tourism and boost its battered economy. 

Egyptian President told a gathering of dignitaries, sitting in the museum's square that "Today, as they celebrate together the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, they are writing a new chapter in the history of the present and the future,".Spanning half a million square meters, the museum houses around 100,000 artefacts -- half of them on display -- dating back more than six millennia.

The audience at the opening watched a display of lights and music, with the pyramids towering in front of them. Dozens of performers dressed in elaborate Pharaonic costumes played traditional tunes as a laser show depicting pharaohs and fireworks lit up the night sky above the museum.