Solar Boat Museum

Overview

The Solar Boat Museum was a site that displayed an extraordinarily well-preserved 4,600-year-old wooden ship excavated from a sealed pit beside the pyramid of Khufu.

Highlights

• The Ship: A stunning 43.6-metre-long cedarwood vessel, painstakingly reassembled from 1,224 individual pieces over 14 years.
• Craftsmanship: The ship was built without nails — planks were sewn together with ropes made from halfa grass.
• The Pit: View the original sealed limestone pit from which the disassembled ship was extracted in 1954.

History

Discovered in 1954 by Egyptian archaeologist Kamal el-Mallakh, the ship was found in a sealed pit covered by 41 limestone blocks. It was likely used to transport Khufu's body to his pyramid and possibly symbolized his journey to the afterlife.

Visitor Tips

• Moving to GEM: The boat has been relocated to the Grand Egyptian Museum — check current status before visiting.
• Giza Ticket: Requires a separate ticket from the main Giza Plateau admission.
• Duration: 30–45 minutes.