The Gayer Anderson Museum in Egypt occupies two historic houses built about a century apart during the Ottoman period. The smaller western house dates to the 1540s, while the larger eastern house was built in the 1630s. Although they began as separate homes, a bridge later connected them at the third floor level, creating the building you can visit today.

The western house is the older of the two. Abd al-Qadir al-Haddad built it in the 1540s, and it later became known as Bayt Amna bint Salim after Amna bint Salim, its last owner. The house forms the western side of the museum and preserves the layout and architectural details of a traditional Cairo residence from the Ottoman period.

The larger eastern house was built in the 1630s by Hajj Muhammad ibn al-Hajj Salim ibn Galman al-Gazzar. Several families lived there over the years before a woman from the island of Crete became its owner. Her connection to the house gave it the name Bayt al-Kiritliya, meaning the House of the Cretan Woman.

The two houses are connected by an enclosed bridge at the third-floor level. The exact date when the bridge was added is not known, but it links the Haramlik and Salamlik sections and allows you to move between the two original houses without returning to the street.

Gayer Anderson was an Irish doctor, British army officer, and collector whose long connection with Egypt led to the creation of the museum that bears his name. He was born on July 29, 1881, in Listowel, Ireland, and had a twin brother named Thomas. In 1904, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps, and in 1907, he was transferred to the Egyptian Army with the rank of Major.

In 1935, Gayer- Anderson secured a lifetime lease for the two historic houses beside the Mosque of Ibn Tulun. He lived there until 1942, furnishing the rooms with objects he had collected from Egypt and other parts of Asia and the Middle East. When his health declined, he returned to England in 1942 and gave the lease and the contents of the houses to the Egyptian people. He died in England in 1945.

One of the most famous objects connected with him is the Gayer-Anderson Cat, an ancient Egyptian bronze figure representing the goddess Bastet as a cat. He bought the statue in 1934 and donated it to the British Museum in 1939. It is now displayed in the museum’s Egyptian sculpture gallery and remains one of the best-known objects associated with his collection.

Major R.G. Gayer-Anderson

The museum is more than a collection of objects. You move through a series of rooms arranged inside the two historic houses, with each space showing a different part of domestic life, architecture, or Gayer-Anderson’s personal interests. Some of the rooms retain their original architectural features, while others were furnished around collections from Egypt and other parts of the region.

• The Qa’a: The main reception hall features a marble fountain, decorated ceilings, and a raised seating area. A mashrabiya gallery overlooks the hall from above.
• The Maq’ad: This open loggia served as a reception space where guests could sit while looking onto the courtyard.
• The Haramlik Mashrabiya Gallery: This second-floor passage has mashrabiya screens overlooking the reception hall. Women could watch activities in the hall from behind the screens while remaining out of sight.
• The Persian Room: This room displays objects from the later Persian, or Shah Abbas, period, along with a bedroom setting.
• The Damascus Room: This late 17th-century room was brought from Damascus and is lined with decorated wooden panels. Its ceiling also carries an Arabic poem praising the Prophet Muhammad.
• The Queen Anne Room: This room displays furniture in the Queen Anne style, named after the British queen who reigned from 1702 to 1714.
• The Byzantine Room: Also known as the Bridge Room, this space connects the two houses and displays Christian- related objects and paintings.
• The Mohamed Ali Room: This Ottoman style apartment combines green and gold decoration with Rococo furniture and a throne chair associated with the ruling family.
• The Reading Room and Writing Room: The small Reading Room has a window seat and Islamic-inspired shelves, while the Writing Room contains tables, benches, and historical Egyptian drawings and writings.
• Gayer-Anderson’s Study: Originally used as his study, this room contains ancient Egyptian objects, including a bronze cat with gold earrings.
• The Roof Garden: The flat roof has been turned into a garden enclosed by mashrabiya screens, giving you another view of the house’s traditional architectural details.

Several legends are associated with the house, especially the courtyard well and the nearby shrine of Sheikh Haroun al-Husseini. These stories are part of the folklore connected with the building and should be understood as legends rather than established historical facts.

• The courtyard well: The well, known as the Bats’ Well or Bir al-Watawit, is about 15 meters deep. According to one local legend, the house stands on the remains of Gebel Yashkur, or the Hill of Thanksgiving, where Noah’s Ark came to rest after the flood. The story says that the remaining floodwater drained through the well in the courtyard.
• Sheikh Haroun al-Husseini: A shrine associated with Sheikh Haroun al-Husseini stands beside the house. According to the legend, he protected the building and blinded three men who tried to rob it, leaving them wandering around the house for three days and three nights until they were caught.

entrance of the Gayer Anderson Museum

The Spy Who Loved Me, released in 1977, used the house as a filming location in Cairo. Scenes were shot in the main reception hall and on the rooftop terrace.

The museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with the last ticket sold at 4:00 PM. During Ramadan, the visiting hours change to 9:00 AM–3:00 PM, with the last ticket available at 2:00 PM.

Allow about 1 hour for the visit. Flash photography is not allowed inside the museum.

Interesting Facts About Gayer Anderson Museum

The museum is located on Ahmed Ibn Tulun Street in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Cairo, next to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun. From central Cairo, the drive can take around 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

You can visit the mosque and museum together, then continue to Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al Rifa’i Mosque, and the Citadel. This location makes it easy to combine several major Islamic Cairo landmarks in one day.

Location of Gayer Anderson Museum

• Go early in the morning: The rooms are usually quieter earlier in the day, and natural light can make it easier to take photos without using flash.
• Combine both sites: The museum sits beside the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, so visiting both together takes about 2 hours.
• Dress modestly: Wear suitable clothing if you plan to enter the mosque as part of the same visit.
• Protect the exhibits: Do not use flash photography or touch the objects and furnishings on display.

The Gayer Anderson Museum brings together two Ottoman- era houses, historic interiors, and collections gathered by Major Robert Grenville Gayer- Anderson. Its location beside the Mosque of Ibn Tulun also makes it easy to include both sites in the same visit. For more than 20 years, Egypt Tours Group has helped travelers explore Egypt with organized tours, experienced guides, and reliable transportation. The museum can also be combined with other major Islamic Cairo landmarks during a full day in the historic district.