Nasser museum to open after years in the pipeline

A museum dedicated to the memory of the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser is set to open this week, in conjunction with Egypt's October war commemorations, according to state-run daily al-Ahram.

In 2014, years after officias first approved the idea in 2008, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture finally announced the beginning of a 30-month project to turn Nasser's house into a museum, which then-Culture Minister Gaber Asfour said would tell the story of the "formation of our national history".

Nasser's house, located in the Heliopolis neighbourhood of Manshiyat al-Bakry, where he lived with his family during his 18 years in power, will be turned into a museum recounting his life, including his military service and his contributions to Egyptian history.

Following the renovation of the house, which had been vacant since the death of Nasser's widow, Tahia Kazem, in 1992, some of the original pieces of furniture were restored as part of the display.

The new museum will display personal belongings of the late leader, donated by his daughter Hoda and son Abdel Hakim, as well as pictures and records of his conversations with world leaders.

It will also include a library containing all the books, research, and audio-visual materials documenting his life and the history of Egypt during this era.

The new museum will be the second dedicated to Nasser's memory. The first is part of the pharaonic village in Cairo, with more than 170 rare pictures of the late president on display. It also displays the speeches Nasser gave following the nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956 and after he stepped down in 1967.

Nasser, who died in his Manshiyat al-Bakry home in 1970, was a member of the Free Officers movement, which ended the rule of King Farouk in 1952 and established the Egyptian republic.