Aswan MuseumAbout Aswan Museum
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.
Nearby Attractions to Aswan Museum
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.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ideal | 10° - 24° | 17° | 0 mm | clear | 42% | 3.0 m/s | 1.1 high | 10.7h |
| February | Ideal | 11° - 25° | 18° | 0 mm | clear | 33% | 3.7 m/s | 1.5 very high | 11.2h |
| March | Ideal | 15° - 30° | 22° | 0 mm | clear | 23% | 3.6 m/s | 2.0 very high | 11.9h |
| April | Ideal | 20° - 36° | 28° | 0 mm | clear | 18% | 3.5 m/s | 2.4 extreme | 12.6h |
| May | Ideal | 24° - 40° | 32° | 0 mm | clear | 15% | 3.3 m/s | 2.6 extreme | 13.2h |
| June | Ideal | 26° - 42° | 34° | 0 mm | clear | 15% | 3.2 m/s | 2.7 extreme | 13.5h |
| July | Ideal | 27° - 42° | 34° | 0 mm | clear | 17% | 3.0 m/s | 2.7 extreme | 13.4h |
| August | Ideal | 26° - 42° | 34° | 0 mm | clear | 18% | 3.0 m/s | 2.5 extreme | 12.9h |
| September | Ideal | 24° - 40° | 32° | 0 mm | clear | 20% | 3.0 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.2h |
| October | Ideal | 21° - 37° | 29° | 0 mm | clear | 26% | 2.8 m/s | 1.7 very high | 11.5h |
| November | Ideal | 15° - 30° | 23° | 0 mm | clear | 37% | 2.7 m/s | 1.2 high | 10.8h |
| December | Ideal | 11° - 25° | 18° | 0 mm | clear | 44% | 2.7 m/s | 1.0 high | 10.5h |
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.