The Coptic Museum is a centre where works of art and cultural monuments of the Copts, who are known as direct descendants of the ancient Egyptians, are collected. The Copts inhabited the territory of ancient Babylon, where Cairo was later founded. In the culture of the Copts there is a remarkable intertwining of Egyptian and Greek traditions and Christianity. Today, Copts make up ten per cent of Egypt's population.
The Coptic Museum was founded and opened in 1910 by collector and official Marcus Simajk. The basis of the museum's exhibition was his personal collection, and it was later supplemented with relics and artefacts donated by churches and monasteries from all over the country. At the moment the number of units of the museum is about 16 thousand and they are placed in twenty-nine halls. Icons, frescoes, church utensils, architectural details, tapestries, and ancient manuscripts are presented here. One can see amazing samples of weaving and golden embroidery. The museum houses an ancient library consisting of papyrus manuscripts.
The architecture of the museum building resembles a mosque, linking Coptic culture with Egyptian culture. This connection is also emphasised by the details in the interior of the museum, which are common to Christianity and Muslimity. These include colourful stained glass windows and paintings on the walls. The courtyard of the museum is decorated with small fountains with coloured stones.
In 2006, a major reconstruction of the museum was carried out, which also implied a significant addition to the collection. The old part of the museum consists of two sections, the new part has eight sections.
