Royal Jewelry Museum

The Royal Jewelry Museum occupies the palace of Princess Fatma al-Zahraa (1903–1983) in the Zizinia district of Alexandria. It displays jewellery and precious objects that belonged to the Mohamed Ali dynasty, which ruled Egypt from 1805 until 1952, and the building itself is one of the city’s most elaborate early-20th-century interiors.

History

The palace was begun in 1919 by Zeinab Fahmy and completed for her daughter, Princess Fatma al-Zahraa, a granddaughter of the royal line through her father Prince Ali Haidar. She was known for her love of art. After 1952 the palace was taken over by the state, and in 1986 it was converted into a museum. It reopened in 2010 after a full restoration and, following a three-year closure after 2011, reopened again under the Ministry of Antiquities. The museum marked its 39th anniversary in October 2025 and is open to visitors.

What to look for

• A collar set with diamonds and emeralds that belonged to Mohamed Ali Pasha.
• A gold chess set and gold binoculars studded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
• Jewellery sets made by leading European houses for the queens and princesses of the family, alongside pieces associated with King Farouk and Queen Farida.
• Gold cups and decorative objects inlaid with precious stones.
• The palace interiors: painted and gilded ceilings, stained-glass windows, carved woodwork and mosaics, mixing European and Islamic styles.

In all the museum holds around 11,000 objects, of which only part is on display at any time. Temporary exhibitions are held regularly, such as “Your Coffee is Royal”, which featured part of a coffee set owned by King Farouk.

Visiting tips

The palace has two wings, east and west, linked by a corridor; follow the numbered rooms to see the collection in order and keep an eye on the ceilings and windows as well as the cases. Allow about an hour, longer if a temporary exhibition is on. The museum is a short taxi ride from the Corniche in the eastern part of the city, and it combines well with the Alexandria National Museum or the Citadel of Qaitbay on the same day.

Last checked October 2026. Sources: egymonuments.gov.eg, en.wikipedia.org, madamasr.com, scoopempire.com.