Cairo is famous for museums, with the Egyptian Antiquities Museum at the top of the list. Many more museums also lie outside of Cairo, in nearby Giza or Memphis. But for some of the best museums within the city of Cairo itself, you can't miss the following.

Egyptian Antiquities Museum

The most famous--not to mention largest--collection of Egyptian Antiquities is located in this museum in central Cairo. Here you can view King Tut's treasures (though the famous king himself still lies in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings) and an impressive collection of mummies. There are exhibits from the Old, Middle and Modern Kingdoms, as well as from the Greco-Roman Era. Artifacts range from scarabs to papyrus to sarcophagi and more.

Phone: +20 2 578-2448

Gayer-Anderson Museum

Located next to the Ibn Tulun Mosque is the Gayer-Anderson Museum, once the private home of the man for whom the museum is named. The museum has a collection of Egyptian and Oriental furniture, weaponry and antiquities. The house was left to the Egyptian government upon the owner's death and is now open to the public.

Phone: +20 2 364-7822

Ethnological Museum

This museum showcases a more modern view of Egypt, with displays of the daily activities and traditions of present day Cairo. Exhibits include musical instruments, costumes, crafts, school life and even licorice soup.

Phone: +20 2 794-5450

Museum of Islamic Ceramics

Housed in the private palace of Prince Amro Ibrahim is the Museum of Islamic Ceramics. The museum displays ceramics from Egypt, Iran, Turkey and southern Spain, among other countries. It also has exhibits that show firing and decorating techniques.

Phone: +20 2 736-8672