Art and culture are expressed not only in monumental buildings, religious rites, murals, and impressive reliefs, but also encompass everything from ancient and modern music to handicrafts. One of the first advanced civilizations in human history arose on the banks of the Nile, and numerous tombs and temples still bear witness to it today. Archaeological finds of instruments prove that music was of great importance to the ancient Egyptians. Since their first contact with Islam in 642 CE, Egyptian music has incorporated Arabic melodies and rhythms. Popular instruments include the oud, a short-necked lute, the ney, a long flute, and drums.

With its unfathomable wealth of pyramids, mosques, temples, and monuments, Egypt resembles a vast open-air museum. The Luxor Museum on the Corniche displays artifacts from Luxor and the surrounding area. Among the museum's most important exhibits are the head of the colossal statue of Sesostris III and the elegant statues of Thutmose III and Amenhotep III with the crocodile god Sobek. The Nubian Museum in Aswan is one of the most beautiful in the country. Particularly impressive is a hand-sized statue of Isis nursing the young god Horus. The most important museum in Egypt is the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, home to the treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun.