The Crown Jewels Museum in Alexandria

The Egyptian Supreme Counci l of Ant iquities experts and archeologists are currently finalizing four years worth of renovation work of the crown jewels museum in Alexandria to prepare the palace to exhibit 11, 500 rare antique jewels and artifacts property of the Mohamed Ali family that ruled Egypt for 150 years. The palace itself is an architectural beauty, baring a  European style as requested by its founder, Zeinap Hanem Fahmy in year 1919, which was completed by her daughter Fatima El Zahraa in year 1923. The palace is 4185m2 located in the area of Geleem in Raml in Alexandria. It contains two wings. The east wing contains two halls and a salon with a bronze statue of a boy carrying a stained glass painting of a natural landscape. The west wing contains two floors, the first containing four halls and the second containing four more with a very tasteful entrance with stained glass engraved with historical stories and scenes from love stories such as Romeo and Juliet. There are also mural drawings of the celebrations of the palace’s owner’s husband.One of the most famous possessions found in the palace are of Mohammed Aly’s, including a scented box made of gold, with 235 rare pieces of diamonds and larger box that he used to present sweets to his honorary guests as well as his very own chess board and honorary iron sword in the shape of a snake’s head. Another valuable collection belonged to the prince Mohammed Aly Tawfik, including a set of 12 mugs made of platinum and gold with 2753 inserted pieces of different types of diamonds and a bag of gold coins with diamonds, and six gold glasses with 977 diamonds. After its inauguration by the president tourists and Egyptian students have continued to visit it in growing numbers. This led to the minister of culture, Farouk Hosny, decreeing that the museum should be renovated to meet world standards in the technology of protection of expensive rare jewels and to be fit to meet such a large capacity of visitors. After studies by Dr. Zahi Hawass, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, metal safes with security methods were imported from London by Mohamed Abd El Fattah, the President of the museum section in the board of Supreme Council of Antiquities, to replace the old safes that were not matched by the importance and value of the gold, platinum and silver crowns. In addition police dogs of the best breed are guarding the museum by night.