Egyptian National Library Museum — Attraction in Cairo

We were going to visit the Museum of Islamic Arts but the InDrive driver dropped us off in front of the staircase leading to the National Library of Egypt. So we decided to walk up the staircase and entered the grandeur door and realized that was a former residence of a king. The hallway was unlit but we were undeterred from exploring. A kind older gentleman speaking perfect English told us there is magnificent collection of manuscripts and rare Quran but there is an admission ticket of 25 EGP. We gladly paid the fee and we spent close to 2 hours walking through the 3 storey gallery from the top floor to the entry level. It is the best collection of Egyptian manuscripts in the whole of Cairo. A visit that should not be missed. Compared to the minimum 200 EGP or more to visit other museums and tourist sites, this is really a treat. Truly a hidden gem in Cairo. Very well air conditioned space and well curated. Staff was very helpful and genuinely proud of their heritage.

Only caution to note is that the covering of some segment of the inside stairs are detached and one needs to walk...

We too ended up here by coincidence. There is a peculiarly cumbersome access procedure - as if national security is at stake?! Strange. The library itself is hardly worth mentioning: a hodgepodge of scholar and popular books, mostly Arabic. Really nothing of interest.

But the small museum - a well-documented exhibition of manuscripts - is well worth a visit. Well displayed and explained, it is, and offering some truly rare literary treasures. There was no one and staff did not look like it expected anyone.

We enjoyed it, on our way to the Islamic Arts museum (around...

A hidden gem in Cairo. Amazing experience. The museum is inside the National Library of Egypt دار الكتب المصرية. Tickets for 10 EGP. The museum is three floors full of rare and unesco protected manuscripts, books and artefact. The museum offers free guided tours. My tour guide - Tony - was amazingly knowledgeable and gave me a detailed...