Written by Aurore Ciavatti (2025)

INtroduction

The French Institute for Oriental Archaeology (IFAO) is a research institute located in Mounira, Cairo. Founded in 1880, the institute’s mission is to study the successive civilizations of Egypt, from prehistory until the modern era. The disciplines involved are archaeology, philology, and history. IFAO library holds a collection of more than 100,000 volumes and 1,300 periodicals, related to Egyptology, papyrology, Classical, Byzantine, Coptic, and Arabic studies.

IFAO is open from Sunday to Thursday, and the library’s Reading Room is open from 9am to 5.30pm the same days.

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

IFAO is located in Mounira, less than a 10-min. walk from the metro stations Sa’d Zaghlul and al-Sayyida Zaynab. From there, head towards Shaykh Ali Yusuf Street where IFAO is located. You can also grab a taxi to go there.

GETTING IN

IFAO Library is open to academic researchers, employees of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and Tamhidi/Master's students. Don't forget to bring an ID and a proof of affiliation (a valid professionnal/university card, or a recommandation letter from your supervisor). Registration is free of charge.

Once at IFAO, press the door bell at the main gate and you’ll be greeted by a guard in a small barrack. If this is your first visit, explain that you wish to access the library: the guard will then write your name in the registrar, and give you a Visitor’s Pass upon presentation of an ID. Enter the institute and head up the staircase. The library is located on the first floor through the door on the right.

Finding your material

IFAO Library has an online catalog that you can access both remotely and onsite by way of one of the computers in the Reading Room.

Ordering your material

To order your material, ask one of the librarians at the reception desk who will show you how to fill out the form with information from the catalog. The librarian will then fetch the material and bring it to your assigned desk in the Reading Room.

Ordering scans

IFAO Library follows European laws: reproduction is limited to 10% of a monograph and to one article per journal.

Food and well-being

You are welcome to bring your own lunch and eat in the garden or seek out one of the food stalls located on the streets around the Dar al-Ulum Park.

Toilets are decent and located next to the Reading Room.

Additional remarks

You can check out IFAO’s other sections and activities (including talks, conferences, and courses) on their website.