Agricultural Museum of Cairo

Housed in a cluster of grand former royal palaces in Dokki, the Agricultural Museum of Cairo is one of the world's oldest and largest museums of its kind, and one of the city's most gloriously eccentric. Founded in the 1930s, its many halls sprawl far beyond farming into ancient Egyptian agriculture, natural history, taxidermy, folk crafts and dioramas, all displayed in faded, atmospheric grandeur.

Expect vintage cabinets, life-size scenes of rural Egyptian life, preserved animals and exhibits that feel wonderfully frozen in the mid-20th century. It is dusty, uneven and gloriously untouristed, the kind of place that delights curious travellers and lovers of old-school museums. Set within landscaped gardens and princely architecture, it offers a completely different, quietly surreal side of Cairo away from the antiquities trail.