When light brings history to life

Light plays a central role in the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The light planner Bartenbach and Heneghan Peng Architects, developed a complex lighting concept that was implemented by durlum, among others. We designed and supplied 193 lighting systems with a total of around 19,000 luminaires for indoor and outdoor use as general lighting for the gigantic building.

The lighting for around 100 display cases was additionally equipped with special optics and individual controls to fulfill the dual role of light: staging and preserving the exhibits, some of which are very sensitive to light.

One particularly impressive example of this lighting art is the death mask of Tutankhamun, which is illuminated by 36 precisely positioned durlum spots so that it appears to float in the darkened room. The mask is part of Tutankhamun's tomb treasure, which is being exhibited in its entirety for the first time since its discovery by Howard Carter in 1922.

The newly opened museum complex houses more than 100,000 artefacts spanning thousands of years of Egyptian history. Located in the immediate vicinity of the Pyramids of Giza, past and present merge in perfect harmony to create a place that will immerse generations of visitors in the fascinating world of ancient Egypt.

(Photos: GEM)