Fadel D.
Google
Visiting this museum hit me in a way I didn’t expect. As an Egyptian living abroad, standing face-to-face with artifacts that came from the same land I grew up on felt powerful. Seeing the sarcophagi, statues, and everyday objects of my ancestors displayed so carefully in a European hall created a mix of pride, nostalgia, and a quiet sense of responsibility.
The museum is well-designed. Soft lighting, clear explanations, and enough space around each piece to let you actually feel its presence. But what moved me the most wasn’t the layout. It was the feeling that I was walking through two places at once: Leiden and Cairo. Each artifact pulled me back home for a moment — to the heat, the colors, the voices, and everything that makes Egyptian identity something you carry in your chest, not in your passport.
There was a strong sense of pride. My ancestors built a civilization that still makes the whole world stop, stare, and learn thousands of years later. But there was a small ache too — knowing that so much of that history is far from the soil it came from. Still, seeing it treated with respect gave me comfort.
For any Egyptian living abroad, this museum isn’t just a visit. It’s a reminder of who you are and where you come from.
