Found in the museum’s open air entrance piazza, this suspended obelisk is a world first. This feat of modern engineering allows you to pass directly underneath the ancient 80 ton granite column to view the cartouche of Ramses II carved into its base that was hidden from view when it was originally erected 3,000 years ago.

This colossal 11m statue of Ramses II is located in the entrance hall surrounded by a shallow reflective pool. Originally carved 3,000 years ago for a temple in Memphis, in more recent times he stood outside Cairo’s main train station. Today in his new grand setting, he welcomes visitors and offers a tantalising taste of the delights to come.

Not a historical artefact by any means, but a friendly stray dog that has become the museum’s unofficial mascot. Mimi became quite the social media star after videos of her roaming in the museum pre-opening went viral. You can usually find her patrolling around the information desk as you arrive.

The main entrance route to the galleries displays 59 monumental sphinxes, statues and sarcophagi spanning different periods across ancient Egypt. It can be comfortably viewed from the escalator running alongside, though for a close up view I recommend using the staircase if you can. At the very top of the staircase, you will be presented with a huge window affording a fabulous view over the pyramids.

For the first time since they were discovered in 1922, all 5,398 artefacts from King Tut's tomb have been reunited here in the expansive Tutankhamen galleries on the upper floor. You can easily spend an hour or two marvelling at all the “wonderful things” on display here, of which the undisputed highlight is the solid gold funerary mask of the boy king, a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian craftsmanship.

This 4,000 year old miniature wooden army was found in the tomb of Mesehti, an Egyptian governor of Upper Egypt. The well-preserved fighting force is made up of rows of 40 Egyptian infantry with spears and shields as well as 40 Nubian archers. It’s worth stopping here for a while as every single figure is individually carved and incredibly lifelike.

This striking kneeling statue depicts Hatshepsut with a distinct feminine face, yet dressed deliberately as a male pharaoh, complete with ceremonial false beard and royal kilt. In doing so it is believed she was reinforcing herself as the legitimate ruler of Egypt regardless of her sex.

Way before the towering architectural hairpieces of the 18th Century French court, wigs were a real status symbol amongst ancient Egypt’s elite. This stylish hairpiece is made from intricately braided and coiled human hair and is remarkably well preserved - it’s hard to believe it was last worn 3,500 years ago!

Ptolemaic decrees were issued by priests to honour their kings and celebrate their achievements - an ancient form of royal PR. This one from Canopus, carved on a limestone slab some 2,300 years ago was written in three languages; Greek, demotic, and hieroglyphs. Just like the Rosetta Stone Decree residing in the British Museum, it played a significant role in enabling scholars to successfully decipher ancient Egyptian.

Found in pieces in a pit next to the Great Pyramid, this 4,500 year old boat, believed to have been used in Khufu’s funeral ceremonies, has now been fully reassembled in a vast new gallery. You will be blown away by the scale and precise carpentry of this 43m ceremonial vessel, whose 1,200 individual pieces of cedar wood were joined together without using a single nail.