Quick answer
The Luxor Museum is a small, beautifully lit museum on the Corniche between Luxor Temple and Karnak, holding masterpieces found in and around ancient Thebes. Its stars are the statues of the 1989 Luxor Cache, objects from Tutankhamun's tomb and a reconstructed wall from Akhenaten's Karnak temple, and it takes about 90 minutes.
What is the Luxor Museum?
The Luxor Museum is a compact regional museum that displays a carefully chosen collection of sculpture and objects found at Thebes, rather than room after room of everything. It opened in 1975 in a low modern building on the riverfront, and its quality-over-quantity approach, with each piece spot-lit against dark walls, makes it one of the most enjoyable museums in Egypt.
Almost everything here was found locally: in the temples of Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank tombs and the Valley of the Kings. That makes it the perfect place to put faces to the kings whose monuments you have been walking through all day. Labels are in English and Arabic and are clearer than in many Egyptian museums.
What are the highlights of the Luxor Museum?
Do not miss the Luxor Cache hall, the red quartzite statue of Amenhotep III, the talatat wall of Akhenaten and the objects from Tutankhamun's tomb. These can all be seen properly in an hour.
- The Luxor Cache: in 1989 workers levelling the floor of the Sun Court at Luxor Temple found a pit holding around two dozen statues that priests had buried in antiquity. The finest are displayed in a dedicated hall: above all a superb, near-pristine statue of Amenhotep III in red quartzite standing on a sledge, and a statue of Horemheb kneeling before the god Atum.
- Akhenaten's talatat wall: a long wall rebuilt from small sandstone blocks (talatat) from Akhenaten's temple to the Aten at Karnak, dismantled after his death. The painted scenes show workers, offering-bearers and the king himself in the distinctive Amarna style.
- Tutankhamun pieces: a small group of objects from his tomb, including model boats and shabti figures. The main Tutankhamun treasures are at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza.
- Royal sculpture: a fine statue of Thutmose III from Karnak and heads of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom pharaohs on the ground floor.
- The New Kingdom wing: a later extension themed around Thebes as a military and imperial capital, with chariot equipment and weapons, and two royal mummies. One is Ahmose I, founder of the 18th Dynasty; the other is identified by many scholars as Ramesses I, returned to Egypt from a museum in North America in 2003.
When is the Luxor Museum open, and is evening the best time?
Yes: the museum is one of the few Luxor sites open into the evening, and visiting after dark is the smartest use of your time. At the time of writing it typically opens in the morning and stays open until around 9pm, but hours vary by season and during Ramadan, so check before you go.
West Bank sites are best seen from opening time, and by early afternoon most travellers are hot and tired. Rest at your hotel, then visit the museum at about 6pm when the building is cool and quiet. Many of our private Luxor days end this way, and it slots naturally into a two-day Luxor plan.
How do you get to the Luxor Museum?
It is on the Corniche roughly halfway between Luxor Temple and Karnak, about a 20-minute walk from Luxor Temple or a few minutes by car or calèche. Most East Bank hotels, including those on the Corniche, are within 5–10 minutes' drive.
If you stay on the West Bank, allow 20–30 minutes by road via the bridge south of town, or take the public ferry or a motorboat across the river and walk north. A natural route is Luxor Temple at dusk, then a stroll up the Corniche to the museum, or the reverse. See where to stay in Luxor for the East versus West Bank trade-offs.
Tickets and practical tips
Buy your ticket at the museum entrance; prices change regularly, so check egymonuments.gov.eg before you go. At the time of writing the Luxor Museum is also covered by the Luxor Pass for travellers who want to see almost everything; see our guide to Egypt's sightseeing passes.
- Photography: phone photography for personal use has generally been allowed in recent years, but rules have changed before, so confirm at the ticket office.
- Accessibility: floors are smooth and the galleries compact, making this one of the easier sites in Luxor for travellers with limited mobility; ask about lift or ramp access to the upper level.
- Pace yourself: the museum is small enough to see without a guide, though an Egyptologist will bring the Cache statues and talatat to life in a way the labels cannot.
- Pair it: combine with the Mummification Museum, a short walk south, for a museum evening.
Is the Luxor Museum worth visiting?
Yes, for almost everyone: it is small, uncrowded and holds some of the finest statues in Egypt. Even travellers who have seen the big Cairo museums often rate it among their favourites, because nothing feels like filler and the lighting lets you appreciate the carving.
If you only have one day in Luxor it is the first thing to drop, since the temples and tombs come first. With two or more days it is an easy, rewarding evening, and it is a good choice on a very hot afternoon when outdoor sightseeing is unpleasant. Families find the mummies and chariot gear hold children's attention better than long galleries.
Luxor Museum: FAQs
What is the Luxor Cache?
A group of around two dozen statues found buried beneath the Sun Court of Luxor Temple in 1989. Priests had carefully interred them in antiquity, which is why many are in superb condition. The best are displayed in their own hall at the Luxor Museum.
Is there anything from Tutankhamun at the Luxor Museum?
Yes, a small selection of objects from his tomb, such as model boats and shabti figures. The golden mask and the main treasures are at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza.
Are there mummies in the Luxor Museum?
Yes, two royal mummies in the newer wing: Ahmose I and a king widely identified as Ramesses I. For embalming itself, visit the Mummification Museum nearby.
How long do you need at the Luxor Museum?
About an hour to an hour and a half. It is deliberately small, so you can see every highlight without rushing.
Is the Luxor Museum open at night?
At the time of writing it stays open into the evening, usually until around 9pm, which makes it ideal after a day on the West Bank. Hours change with the season and during Ramadan, so check locally.