The boat at this particular museum isn’t your ordinary vessel. The ship in question was designed to sail its passengers into the afterlife, with the sun god Ra. Also known as the Giza Solar Boat Museum, the museum sits just meters from where the solar boat was found, behind the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The reconstructed sun boat is huge and you can get a good view of it from all angles on three different viewing platforms. The hull of the boat was built from single planks made from Lebanese cedar. As these trees have never grown locally, it is believed the ancient Egyptians transported the planks from Lebanon. Inside the museum, you can also see the tomb-like cavern the boat was buried in, as well as a scale model and a series of photos and diagrams from the excavation. There are a total of seven boat pits in the area, and a second one is currently being excavated, with plans for reconstruction. Alison Cornford-Matheson traveled to Egypt courtesy of the Egypt Tourism Authority and Abercrombie & Kent. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Alison’s trip at the USTOA blog.
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Sail to the Sun at the Cheops Boat Museum
The boat at this particular museum isn’t your ordinary vessel. The ship in question was designed to sail its passengers into the afterlife, with the sun god Ra. Also known as the Giza Solar Boat Museum, the museum sits just meters from where the solar boat was found, behind the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The reconstructed sun boat is huge and you can get a good view of it from all angles on three different viewing platforms. The hull of the boat was built from single planks made from Lebanese cedar. As these trees have never grown locally, it is believed the ancient Egyptians transported the planks from Lebanon. Inside the museum, you can also see the tomb-like cavern the boat was buried in, as well as a scale model and a series of photos and diagrams from the excavation. There are a total of seven boat pits in the area, and a second one is currently being excavated, with plans for reconstruction. Alison Cornford-Matheson traveled to Egypt courtesy of the Egypt Tourism Authority and Abercrombie & Kent. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Alison’s trip at the USTOA blog.
