The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

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There’s always a reason why we automatically think of food for any rendezvous with friends and family. However, we believe it’s time we deviate from our classic food-centric outings blueprint. With this in mind, we bring you one of our favourite, tried-and-loved cultural spots in the city: The Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT).

About CULTNAT:

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Located in Smart Village, CULTNAT was gifted to our city, all thanks to Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Intending to pay homage to and preserve our Egyptian cultural heritage and natural heritage of protectorates and wildlife, CULTNAT ensures our culture is maintained, remembered, and cherished by everyone. It pays attention to some previously overlooked cultural memories.

CULTNAT Programmes:

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CULTNAT creates a cultural kaleidoscope where visitors can lose themselves. The place is divided into eight programmes: Ancient Egyptian Heritage, Coptic Heritage, Islamic Heritage, Manuscripts Heritage, Folklore, Art Documentation, Natural Heritage, and Architectural Heritage. With each programme pertaining to a separate aim and bringing different offerings to the table, CULTNAT is more akin to a treasure trove, forming a closer bond between us and our culture.

SnapSend Project:

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One of the different projects CULTNAT has graced us with is SnapSend, a mobile application that uses augmented reality to combine 3D models with elements of a real environment. With SnapSend, a library was built encompassing 11 models of Egyptian figures and artefacts, including King Mentuhotep II.

Customs and Manners Project:

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Another notable project is their Customs and Manners project, which purports to document and collect all the customs and traditions prevalent in suburban areas that sometimes date back to ancient Egypt. For this project, there are a slew of publications and documentaries, such as the Nubian Songs documentary and the Nubian Times book.

Heliopolis Culturama Project:

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In cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, CULTNAT put together another impossible-to-replicate project: Heliopolis Culturama. The project provides a panorama showcasing the history of Heliopolis, giving visitors the chance to experience a fun history lesson like no other—forget the boring history lessons you had to memorise in school and think of more interesting gossip and stories.

Our Thoughts:

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We can safely say that CULTNAT has become one of our favourite spots in the city. Also, there’s more to it; the projects we mentioned give you a small glimpse of everything the place actually has to offer, so all we can say is that you NEED to go there soon!