CAIRO, Feb 21 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany opened on Tuesday the Aswan Museum’s annex, located on the Elephantine Island, to the public after almost six years of closure.

Established over two years, the annex is located 10 meters north of the Museum and contains three display rooms that host 1,788 artefacts discovered during the joint German-Swiss expedition to the island in the period 1969-1998.

Surveillance cameras and fire extinguishers were installed in the annex, in addition to other renovations, according to the ministry’s press release, as part of its plan to revive tourism in Egypt.

The opening also coincides with the solar phenomenon that takes place twice every year, on Feb. 22 and on Oct. 22, when the sun shines directly perpendicular on King Ramses’ face. Hundreds of visitors attend the event every year.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Aswan late January for the national youth conference. Concluding the conference, Sisi declared the intention to celebrate the passing of 200 years since the discovery of the Abu Simbel temple in Aswan.  

The antiquities minister said the celebration will be postponed to Oct. 22 when the King Ramses solar phenomenon occurs again.