Luxor has often been called the worlds greatest open air museum, as indeed it is, and much more. It holds one third of the known ancient monuments worldwide. The number and preservation of the monuments in the Luxor area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Luxor is really three different areas, consisting of the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the town of Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes, which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.  The Luxor Museum should certainly be visited if one plan a well rounded and educated experience.  While this is a small museum, most of the relics are from the surrounding area and provide considerable insight to the monuments you will visit.

http://www.luxorguide.com/