The Coptic Museum houses the largest collection of Coptic artifacts in the world and was inaugurated in 1910. The museum was established through the efforts of Marcus Simaika Pasha, a prominent Coptic figure who was vested in the preservation of Coptic heritage. Simaika Pasha bought and collected Coptic antiquities and various architectural elements from older churches that were undergoing renovation, and used them to built the museum and establish its collection.