Egyptian museum showcases Nile River history

ASWAN, Egypt－Near the old Low Dam of Upper Egypt's sunny city of Aswan, the Nile Museum documents the history of the Nile River flowing through 11 African countries and how the continent's lifeline and its vast basin nourish almost the entirety of African culture.

The museum, which is built on an area of over 2,000 square meters and opened in early 2016, is located in the heart of the vast African Cultural Center affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

"Through the museum, we assert that the passage of the Nile River within the 11 African countries is like an artery within the same body, which strengthens the relationship between these countries," Ereen Fayez, the museum's general manager, said.

The two-story museum comprises several themed halls, with those on the first floor showing the history of the Nile River and Egypt's key flood-containing projects such as the Low Dam and the High Dam.

On the left side of the main entrance is a room showing the museum's maquette. On the opposite is a hall guarded by six standing statues of Hapi, the ancient Egyptian god overseeing the flooding of the Nile.

Walking through the Hapi Hall will lead to the El Patio hall, which gives such an immersive experience of the wilderness via sound effects and replicas of life-size jungles and water streaming from a fountain representing the Nile.

One additional hall features miniatures and maps of Aswan low and high dams, another shows a map of the Nile Basin, introducing the Nile-related projects in Egypt and water resources over the past century.

Paintings on the second floor depict the general conditions of each country across Africa, in addition to two big tanks of fishes and amphibians as well as animal art. Next to it is a room screening animations about the importance of conserving the Nile's ecosystem.

Prominent features

"The painting shows a country's most prominent features, including its national flag, currency, the capital city, well-known rivers, famous tribes and the most visited places," Fayez said.

The museum is surrounded by landscapes with models of African wild animals and old irrigation tools such as waterwheels, as well as an open Roman-style theater that can accommodate 2,500 spectators.

"The museum appeals to Egyptian families and students of all ages, as well as foreign tourists," said Mohamed Abdel-Salam Abbas, the museum's tour guide.

Sherine Darwish, a computer programmer who came with her family from Cairo, said she learned a lot about the Nile countries during the visit.

"What I liked most here is the maquette of the High Dam," she said. "The tour guide explained to us how the dam was built from scratch, as I didn't know how the digging was done and so on. The junglelike hall was also very nice."

Xinhua