For those who like museums but find large collections such as that of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo both bewildering and tiring then Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art is the place to see. The museum was opened in 1975 and contains a modest collection of the highest quality artworks dating from the Predynastic Period right through to the Islamic era. The modern building is extremely spacious with plenty of room to move around and view beautifully displayed objects and sculpture in peaceful low-lit surroundings. The perfect place to spend a hot morning in Luxor.

Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art is on the Corniche located between the Karnak and Luxor temples, a few hundred metres north of the tourist bazaar and El Luxor Hotel (Ex.Mercure Etab).

Luxor Museum has small but exquisite collections of pottery, jewellery, furniture, statues and stelae from the Theban temples and necropolis.

The museum is built on two levels with a ramp leading from the ground floor to the upper floor and contains artefacts from around the Theban area. Many of the free-standing granite statues depict kings, queens, and high-status officials who left their images in the Theban temples. Tutankhamun of course is well-represented by some of the objects from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings which are not currently on display in the Cairo Museum. Included among these is the famous majestic head of a cow goddess, of resin and gilded wood, which is one of the first items the visitor will see when entering the museum. There are exhibits of funerary stelae, offering tables, papyri, tomb furniture, a cartonage mummy-case and many small statuettes and shabtis. In glass cases in the centre of the upper floor are smaller objects such as jewellery, funerary and ritual items and artefacts from daily life.

Among the most striking items displayed at Luxor Museum are those from the tomb of Tutankhamun, including the cow-goddess head and his funerary boats. Other interesting pieces are the statue of Tuthmosis III (circa 1436 BC) and 283 sandstone blocks from the Karnak Temple. The mummies of Pharaohs Ahmose I and Rameses I are also on display. Luxor Museum is open daily from 9.00am to 1.00pm and 4.00pm to 9.00pm in winter. Hours may change in summer.