Fodor's Expert Review Nubia Museum

An effort to preserve the Nubian history that was on the verge of being lost because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the Nubia Museum houses more than 2,000 artifacts that highlight the culture and heritage of these people and the land. Arranged chronologically, the museum walks you through prehistory, the Kingdom of Kush when Nubian kings ruled Egypt, and onward through the Christian and Islamic periods.

Artifacts range from larger-than-life statuary to a small game of backgammon. A diorama presents scenes of rural Nubian life, informative if you don't have time to visit one of the villages yourself. Outside, the museum's grounds include a water feature representing the Nile, a reconstruction of a Nubian house, a cave with rock inscriptions, and part of a Fatimid-era cemetery. Allow about two hours to do it all justice.