Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab inaugurated a renovated animal museum, the first in the Middle East, Monday.

The museum is located inside the Giza Zoo and was renovated in coordination with the national service department of the Armed Forces.

Attending the inauguration ceremony was Agriculture Minister Salah Helal, Local Development Minister Adel Labib, Planning Minister Ashraf el Araby, Giza governor Khaled el Adly and chairman of the Armed Forces' engineering authority Emad el Alfy.

Renovating the animal museum was among challenges facing the government, Mahlab said.

He called for maintaining items of the museum, which is also a source of reference for researchers from the faculties of sciences, veterinary medicine and agriculture.

Agriculture Minister Helal said the museum plays an important role in providing visitors of the Giza Zoo with information about the different animals.

It is the first and biggest animal museum in the Middle East, the minister said.

He touched upon a vision to upgrade zoos in Egypt to regain their international position.

The plan is also about changing the societal apprehension of zoos as only places of entertainment, Helal said.

The aim is to turn the Giza Zoo into a cultural and educational edifice that provides correct information about the environment system, he noted.

Helal also pressed for action to activate the tourist role of the zoo to attract foreign visitors who are interested in the environment.

It will send a clear message to the world about Egypt's important role in protecting the environment, the minister said.

The Animal Museum in Giza Zoological Garden was established in 1906. It contains rare mummified animals, skeletons, skulls, and leather of most of wild animals, birds and reptiles.

In 1962 and 1988 it was renewed and new panoramas were added for more wild animals and birds from the Egyptian environment.

The Animal museum in Giza Zoological Garden plays an important and effective role in public education and entertainment. Besides the panorama there are groups of Birds, Reptiles, and Mammals, which are used by students as scientific reference in taxonomy.