It is often said that Cairo is an open-air museum, and while its historical pedigree is evident in landmarks such as the majestic pyramids of Giza and the recent official launch of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the capital is also home to a plethora of historic buildings, neighbourhoods and galleries that are equally worthy showcases of its vibrant arts scene.
A person with intimate knowledge of these locations, some of them ostentatious and others hidden gems, is Mohamed Younis, founder and director of Art Cairo.
As the head of one of the country’s leading art fairs, Younis describes the city as having an equally flourishing modern art scene. It is this intersection of forward-thinking galleries and artistic practices set against the city’s historical backdrop that makes Cairo worth visiting on a gallery trail.
For those considering the journey, here are five places he recommends.
1. Museum of Modern Egyptian Art
As one of Egypt’s most important state institutions and located within the grounds of the Cairo Opera House, the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art provides the clearest historical record of how artists traced the country’s social and cultural shifts over generations.
According to Younis, this is the place to get a grasp of the state and vitality of modern and contemporary Egyptian art.
“What makes the museum feel especially alive today is how it continues to speak to the present,” he says. “This is where I always return to understand how Egyptian artists responded to their moment in time. The works feel charged with politics, social tension and personal conviction. It’s a visual archive of how modern Egypt questioned itself through art.”
Cairo Opera House Complex, Zamalek, Cairo
2. Prince Taz Palace
Historic sites in Cairo are often treated as backdrops for cultural events and popular Ramadan series. Prince Taz Palace, located in Darb Al Ahmar near Al Azhar, stands out for functioning as an active space for exhibitions. Dating back to the Mamluk period, its architecture – defined by courtyards, vaulted halls, carved stonework and wooden mashrabiya screens – shapes how contemporary work is encountered.
With Art Cairo this year also using the space for exhibitions, Younis says Prince Taz Palace requires artists and curators to have a keen awareness of how to use the historic space to achieve the best results.
“Prince Taz Palace has always felt less like a venue and more like a presence. The architecture dictates the rhythm, forcing contemporary works into conversation with centuries of history rather than isolating them from it. I like coming here because it reminds you that Cairo has always been a lived cultural stage, not just a backdrop,” he says.
“When exhibitions are done well, it creates moments that reinforce why Cairo itself can function as an open museum.”
Darb Al Ahmar district, near Al-Azhar Mosque, Historic Cairo
3. Zamalek District
Sometimes a whole neighbourhood can be a canvas. As well as being known as the upmarket island district on the Nile, Zamalek is considered a hub of Cairo’s contemporary art.
The island district is home to a dense cluster of more than 30 galleries and spaces, allowing visitors to explore various forms of art without travelling too far.
“Zamalek is a full ecosystem rather than a single destination. In one walk, you can move between established galleries, experimental spaces and emerging voices,” Younis says.
“What I love most is the diversity. It gives you a real snapshot of the contemporary art scene in one neighbourhood.”
Gezira Island, Cairo
4. Farouk Hosny Museum
Artist-led museums remain rare in Cairo, notes Younis, making the Farouk Hosny Museum a distinct presence within the city’s landscape. Opened this month and dedicated to the painter and Egypt’s former long-serving culture minister, the museum documents Hosny’s career on the canvas.
“This museum reflects a long, thoughtful artistic journey,” he says. “The works feel contemplative, shaped by years of practice and cultural engagement rather than trends. It’s a quiet space, but one that carries depth and maturity.”
9 Aziz Othman Street, Zamalek, Cairo
5. Museum of Islamic Ceramics
Housed in the Prince Amr Ibrahim Palace in Zamalek, the museum’s collection is a treasure trove of ceramic art collected across centuries in the Islamic world.
Younis considers the place a hidden gem. “One of Cairo’s most quietly surprising places. The collection shows how ceramics functioned as a complete visual language from colour to geometry. I love how it reminds us that beauty in this culture was once part of everyday life.”
Prince Amr Ibrahim Palace, Sharia Al-Saraya, Zamalek, Cairo
