(متحف الأمير محمد علي (متحف المنيل
Photo Gallery
| Address | 1 al-Saray street, Manial Ruda |
| Opening Hours | Daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm |
| Telephone | +20223687495 |
| Date of construction | between 1903 and 1943 |
| Architect | Prince Muhammad Ali |
| Architectural Style | A mix of Traditional Islamic styles. |
| Date of Inauguration | 1984 |
| Affiliation | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
The Prince Muhammad Ali (1875-1955) is the son of Khedive Tawfiq (r. 1879-1892) and the younger brother of Khedive Abbas Hilmi II (r. 1892-1914). He became the Crown Prince of Egypt three times, but never made it to the throne. He designed the Manial Palace himself and supervised its construction on the Rawda Island. His aim was to revive Islamic traditional arts and craft, which he was very passionate about. The architecture of the palace is a fascinating mix between many Islamic styles inspired by the arts of the Fatimids, Mamluks and Ottomans. It is lavishly decorated with colored tiles and intricate geometric design with inscriptions on plaster, wood and bronze. The garden was planted with rare tropical plants, which were collected by the prince during his many travels.
The prince was an avid collector of art and he gathered a fine collection which is now exhibited in his museum. He first erected this space in the palace with the intention to leave it as a museum after his passing. It is housed within one of the sarayas of the palace and is divided into fifteen halls. The collection contains rare examples of manuscripts and Qurans, along with various art works, carpets, textile, arms and weapons.