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Netherlands to Return Ancient Bust to Egypt Following Grand Museum Opening
Cairo, Egypt – The Netherlands has announced its intention to repatriate a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture, a development that comes on the heels of the lavish opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed the return Sunday, following discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The artifact, a bust of a high-ranking official from the dynasty of Pharaoh Thutmose III, was discovered for sale at an art fair in 2022. Dutch authorities, acting on an anonymous tip regarding its illicit origins, confiscated the piece. A statement from the Dutch government revealed that the art show trader voluntarily relinquished the sculpture, and investigations by Dutch police confirmed it had been looted and unlawfully exported.
This repatriation marks the first artifact to be returned to Egypt since the grand opening of the GEM. The new museum, a $1 billion project decades in the making, officially opened its doors Saturday to dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries.
Nevine El-Aref, media adviser to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, hailed the opening as “a great day for Egypt and for humanity,” calling the GEM “Egypt’s gift to the world.”
The Grand Egyptian Museum stands as one of the world’s largest museums, and the largest dedicated to a single civilization: ancient Egypt. Its extensive collection covers approximately 7,000 years of history, from prehistoric times through the Greek and Roman eras.
Egyptian officials are optimistic that the new museum will significantly boost the nation’s tourism industry and its economy, projecting an annual attendance of 5 million visitors.