Egyptian Museum set for major expansion

An expansion of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square has been given the go-ahead by Minister of State for Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim.

The project will be completed over three phases, the Egyptian Museum Director Salwa Abdel-Rahman revealed, with a transformation of Hall 32 and Hall 37 taking place in phase one.

A renovation will also be carried out on the museum's main dome, while the installation of improved lighting throughout the building will ensure the ancient artefacts are not harmed.

The Association of Lovers of the Egyptian Museum, rather than the government ministry, will finance the first phase of the project, the Minister of State told Ahram Online.

He also revealed that a successive completion of the three phases will mean the whole project is concluded in 2015.

The renovation project may represent exciting news for holidaymakers planning to travel to Egypt and soak in some of the country's many cultural sites.