Aswan Museum
Museum Museum near Aswan exhibiting Nubian and Pharaonic artifacts
A small museum on Elephantine Island in Aswan housing local antiquities from the Nile and Nubian region, often paired with visits to nearby ruins and river views.
Aswan Museum is a small archaeological museum on Elephantine Island in Aswan that was established in 1912 and houses artifacts from the island and surrounding Nubian sites. The collection focuses on local antiquities recovered from Elephantine and nearby excavation sites.
Exhibits include stone statues, pottery, inscriptions and everyday objects recovered from the island and nearby archaeological contexts; displays present finds from both Pharaonic and later periods. The museum is compact and intended to be visited alongside the island’s open-air ruins, temples and the Nilometer.
The museum was created to display material from excavations carried out on Elephantine and nearby locations, with collections accumulated through early 20th century archaeological work and later fieldwork.
The museum is sited on Elephantine Island in the Nile at Aswan, reached by a short boat crossing from Aswan’s corniche and positioned close to the island’s Temple of Khnum and the historic Nilometer.
- Island location: Located on Elephantine Island and easily combined with visits to the island's archaeological sites and the nearby Nilometer.
- Foundation: Established in 1912, the museum holds finds from excavations on Elephantine and nearby Nubian sites.
How to Get to Aswan Museum #
Elephantine Island is reached by regular short boat crossings from the Aswan Corniche. Boats depart frequently from the island landings near the Aswan old town; negotiate a short felucca or motorboat ride (5-15 minutes) with local boatmen. From Aswan city center the Corniche is a 10-20 minute taxi ride.
Tips for Visiting Aswan Museum #
- Take the short felucca or motorboat to Elephantine Island from the Aswan Corniche rather than the longshore route - boatmen know the quickest landing spots and will drop you within a 5-10 minute walk of the museum.
- Visit early in the morning to catch the light on the Nile and avoid the midafternoon heat; the museum is small and is often cleared out by lunch.
- Combine the museum with the nearby ruins of the Temple of Khnum and the botanical island gardens - the juxtaposition of museum cases and open-air archaeology makes for surprising photographic contrasts.
Best Time to Visit Aswan Museum #
Best visited in the dry months from November through April, when Nile-side light is mild and boat crossings are pleasant.
Weather & Climate near Aswan Museum #
Aswan Museum's climate is classified as Hot Desert - Hot Desert climate with very hot summers (peaking in July) and mild winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 10°C to 42°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 24°C and lows of 10°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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February
February is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 10°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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March
March is mild with highs of 30°C and lows of 14°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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April
April is warm with highs of 36°C and lows of 20°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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May
May is hot with highs of 40°C and lows of 24°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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June
June is hot with highs of 42°C and lows of 26°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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July
July is the hottest month with highs of 42°C and lows of 27°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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August
August is hot with highs of 42°C and lows of 26°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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September
September is hot with highs of 40°C and lows of 24°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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October
October is hot with highs of 37°C and lows of 21°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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November
November is mild with highs of 30°C and lows of 15°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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December
December is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 11°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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