Alexandria National Museum: Mediterranean Treasures

Alexandria—the great Mediterranean city founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE—has always stood apart from the rest of Egypt, with its distinctive Greco-Roman heritage, cosmopolitan character, and maritime orientation. The Alexandria National Museum, housed in a beautifully restored Italian-style mansion, perfectly captures this unique identity through a carefully curated collection that spans from ancient times to the modern era.

A Museum in a Mansion

Unlike most purpose-built museums, the Alexandria National Museum occupies a historical building with a story of its own. The elegant white mansion on Tariq Al-Horreya Street (formerly Fouad Street) was built in 1926 as the residence of Al-Saad Bassili Pasha, a wealthy wood merchant. Later, it served as the U.S. consulate before being purchased by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and transformed into a museum, which opened to the public in 2003.

The building's three floors, with their high ceilings, ornate woodwork, and grand staircase, provide a fitting backdrop for Alexandria's treasures. A meticulous renovation preserved the mansion's architectural character while adapting the spaces for museum purposes and adding modern amenities like climate control to protect the artifacts.