Egypt’s Past Preserved in a Cairo Palace
In Cairo’s Garden City district, the Institut français d’archéologie orientale (IFAO) has stood as one of the world’s leading centers for the study of Egypt since 1880. Since 1907, it has been housed in the Mounira Palace, a residence once belonging to Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik, uncle of King Farouk.
In 2025, the institute was documented by Egyptian documentary photographers Georges & Samuel Mohsen, commissioned by Le Parisien. Their work focused on the architecture of the Mounira Palace as well as the different practices of the institute’s researchers, while the accompanying text by the newspaper’s reporter and writer highlighted both the scientific mission of the IFAO and the quiet grandeur of its historic home.
The Mounira Palace
The IFAO’s headquarters is more than a research institute; it is a historic palace that carries the memory of Egypt’s royal past. Built in the late 19th century for Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik, the building reflects the cosmopolitan tastes of Cairo’s elite at the time.
The palace was designed with a European spirit but executed with the craftsmanship of Egyptian builders. High ceilings, wide staircases, and marble floors give the interior a sense of openness and prestige. The windows, framed with ornate arches, capture the light of Cairo and filter it gently into the rooms, softening the atmosphere of a place otherwise dedicated to scholarship.
The palace gardens remain an essential part of its character. Shaded by trees and covered with bougainvillea, they create a quiet refuge that separates the institute from the city’s noise. The gardens are not only decorative but also functional, giving researchers a place to step outside their studies and breathe in the open air.
At the entrance hall stands a marble bust of Jean-François Champollion, the French scholar who first deciphered hieroglyphs. This figure is more than a symbol of scholarship; it represents the deep historical ties between Egypt and France in the study of antiquity. Every visitor, whether a student, researcher, or guest, passes under his gaze before entering the heart of the institute.
A Center of Knowledge
The Library
At the heart of the IFAO is its library, which holds more than 100,000 volumes covering Egyptology, papyrology, archaeology, Coptic studies, Islamic art, and the history of the Nile Valley. Scholars from around the world rely on its unique holdings, many of which are rare or out of print. For visiting researchers, the library is not only a resource but also a refuge — a quiet place in the middle of Cairo where knowledge has been carefully preserved for over a century.
Description de l’Égypte:
Among its rarest holdings is a complete edition of the monumental Description de l’Égypte, produced by scholars who accompanied Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt between 1798 and 1801. This work, with its detailed illustrations and volumes of text, was the first great attempt to catalogue Egypt’s monuments, landscapes, flora, and fauna for European readers. The IFAO’s set is carefully preserved and continues to be a reference for both historians of science and Egyptologists retracing the foundations of their field.
The library also houses specialist periodicals, excavation reports, and unpublished manuscripts, making it not only a place of consultation but also a true archive of Egyptological knowledge. Its reading rooms, lined with wooden shelves and lit by the palace’s tall windows, maintain the atmosphere of a scholarly retreat in the middle of Cairo.
The Archives
Equally significant are the archives, which safeguard more than one million documents — including excavation diaries, hand-drawn maps, architectural plans, and glass-plate photographs dating back to the late 19th century. These archives are a memory bank of modern Egyptology, preserving the exact notes and sketches of generations of archaeologists who worked on sites from the Delta to Nubia. They ensure that even when sites are altered or lost, the record remains intact.
The Printing House
Another cornerstone of the institute is its printing house, one of the oldest academic presses in Egypt. Originally designed to print hieroglyphic and Coptic characters in lead type, it became central to the spread of Egyptological research. The IFAO’s main publication, the Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale (BIFAO), has been continuously issued since 1901 and remains a reference point in the field. Through its presses, discoveries made in Egypt reach scholars across the world.
The Laboratories
The institute also houses specialized scientific laboratories, among them the only radiocarbon dating lab in Africa. These facilities allow for advanced study of artifacts, pottery, organic remains, and architectural fragments without needing to send them abroad. The labs not only serve archaeological missions but also support conservation work, ensuring that Egypt’s fragile heritage can be studied responsibly and preserved for future generations.
Together, these four pillars — the library, archives, printing house, and laboratories — make the IFAO both a research institution and a guardian of knowledge, connecting the meticulous scholarship of the past with the technological tools of the present.
The IFAO’s teams lead around 30 archaeological missions every year, working across Egypt in sites such as Saqqara, Luxor, and Aswan. One of its most important discoveries came in 2013 at Wadi el-Jarf on the Red Sea coast: the oldest papyri ever found, dating back 4,500 years. These logbooks, written by an overseer named Merer, describe the transport of limestone blocks used in the construction of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. This discovery offered the most direct evidence yet of how the pyramids were built, revealing a workforce that was organized, skilled, and well-supported — far from the myths of slave labor.
Each year, the IFAO hosts over 600 scholars — archaeologists, historians, linguists, and architects — who come to Cairo for research and training. Once a French enclave, the institute is now a collaborative center working closely with Egyptian universities and the Ministry of Antiquities. As French ambassador Éric Chevallier described it, the IFAO has become “the crucible of the Franco-Egyptian cultural relationship.”
Between Colonial Legacy and Modern Collaboration
Founded in 1880, the institute was shaped by a colonial era when European powers sought to control both land and knowledge. Its prized copy of the monumental Description de l’Égypte, produced during Napoleon’s campaign, reflects that entanglement of science and empire.
Since Egypt’s independence, however, the IFAO has redefined its role. Excavations now take place under Egyptian oversight, its library and labs are open to local scholars, and publications often include Egyptian co-authors. Once a colonial tool, the institute has become a shared space of research, though its origins remain part of its identity.
All photographs by Egyptian documentary photographers Georges & Samuel Mohsen, in collaboration with writer Chloé Belleret, commissioned by by Le Parisien
- Commissioned by Le Parisien
- Photography by Georges & Samuel Mohsen