Egypt has inaugurated a new Water Museum in the New Administrative Capital to preserve the institutional history of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and showcase the country’s long-standing expertise in managing the Nile and its water resources.
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam officially opened the museum on Tuesday in the presence of Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad, Minister of Religious Endowments Osama Al-Azhari, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Abou Bakr, Grand Egyptian Museum CEO Ahmed Ghoneim, and representatives of the European Union, the American University in Cairo, foreign embassies and government institutions.
Sewilam said the museum is more than a cultural exhibition, describing it as an initiative to preserve the ministry’s institutional memory as a strategic asset that can support future development.
“The museum documents a long journey of work, science and achievement in water resources management and reflects the contributions of generations of engineers, scientists and ministry staff to Egypt’s development,” he said.
He noted that Egypt’s history has always been closely linked to the effective management of its water resources, adding that the ministry has spent decades building an integrated water management system and implementing major hydraulic infrastructure projects that have supported agricultural, economic and social development.
According to the ministry, the museum features historical documents, engineering drawings, maps and artefacts tracing the evolution of Egypt’s water sector and its contribution to national development.
Sewilam said the project is aligned with the ministry’s second-generation Water 2.0 strategy, which focuses on modernising water management, expanding the use of digital technologies, promoting innovation and scientific research, strengthening institutional capacity, and preserving historical knowledge and technical expertise.
He said safeguarding this heritage is intended not only to preserve the past but also to make it accessible as a source of knowledge, education and inspiration for future generations, helping raise public awareness of water-related challenges and the importance of sustainable water resource management.
The minister added that the ministry already operates several museums, including the Revolution Museum, the Children’s Water Science Museum in Qanater El Khairiya and the African Cultural Museum in Aswan. He also announced plans to establish another museum at the Egyptian Survey Authority.
Sewilam thanked everyone involved in establishing the museum and expressed hope that it would become a destination for researchers, students and visitors interested in Egypt’s water heritage, while strengthening public awareness of the vital role of water in supporting life and sustainable development.
