Imagine going to a place a few miles from the center of Cairo where Egypt's entire history and art comes alive! Such a place exists in the Pharaonic Village, on Jacob Island in the Nile. The village is surrounded by trees which hide the bustle of the crowded city and provides the background for an ancient Egyptian village. In the village, you are transported by floating amphitheaters through a series of canals where the ancient Egyptian arts and crafts are brought to life by an incredible group of actors and actresses.

          You see faithful reproduction of buildings, clothing and lifestyles. It is as though Williamsburg (Virginia, USA) and Pioneer Village (Toronto, Canada) were joined in one park – except here the history is 5000 years old.

          The village is the labor of the late Dr. Hassan Ragab and his son Dr. Abdelsalam Ragab, who have worked for almost 30 years (The village started in 1977) to recreate ancient Egyptian life and history. The village began as a papyrus plantation, and was thus transformed into a living museum. Scenes that you will see include the scene of Moses as a baby in the marshes, agricultural life, boat-building, house – building, pottery, glass making, making of statues and alabaster, perfume making, manufacture of papyrus – and the making of beer & wine.

           In addition, the village contains a complete replica of the tomb of Tutankhamun – exactly as Howard Carter discovered it in November, 1922. (This is the only place in the world where the entire tomb & its treasures can be seen). The village also contains 10 other museums – Four related to the Pharaonic period;

a)      Medicine & mummification

b)      Building of the pyramids and sphinx

c)      Boats of ancient Egypt

d)      Arts and beliefs.

          In addition, 6 other museums relate to different periods of Egyptian history which include

a)      Ptolemic (Greek – from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra)

b)      Christian era (Copts)

c)      Islamic

d)      Napoleon's Expedition to Egypt

e)      President Mohamed Naguib's museum

f)        President Gamal Abdel Nasser's museum

g)      President Anwar Sadat's museum.

          A 7th museum "Museum of Modern Egypt" was inaugurated in 2006 which  includes the period in which Egypt was ruled by the Mohammad Aly dynasty (1805 – 1952).

         Moreover, we have added an interesting "Classic Model Cars Exhibit"           and "A Chocolate Exhibit" which is very interesting for children as well as adults.

         Because of their meticulous attention to detail, the village is more than education and entertainment. It is a vital resource for the preservation of our knowledge of the ancient world and Egyptian history. It is a must for any visitor to Egypt, whether a scholar of Egyptian history and culture, or a casual tourist. It should be seen at the beginning of any trip to Egypt, as it will explain all that will be seen. The Village is an excellent complement to a trip to Luxor and Aswan.

          Come and join us in the rich and exciting time of the Pharaohs and beyond.

           In 1964, when Dr. Hassan Ragab retired from civil service and the foreign office at the age of 53, he began his research into the ancient art of paper making –               or papyrus. This was a lost art for many years, when the Chinese method of making paper from wood pulp superceded papyrus. Dr. Ragab manufactured his first paper in 1967. In a few years (1973), it became apparent that there was a great need for a place to plant papyrus. The best site, at the time was Jacob Island in the Nile. Then        Dr. Hassan started the Pharaonic Village in 1977. It was inaugurated in May 1984.      Dr. Abdelsalam took over the administration and development of the village in 1989