Al-Madaq is a public-history website on modern Cairo that presents historical research to a broad audience and creates free online tools for scholarship. It features an open access cartographic archive that contains some of the city’s most significant historical maps (from 1808 to 1920). The archive is designed with a set of tools aimed to enhance the readability of the maps and to facilitate access to the information they contain. Al-Madaq also features essays to be published serially that provide a critical history of modern Cairo. The essays explore urban geography and highlight the role of real estate investment and public health in shaping the modern city. Lastly, the website features collaborative artworks that question the relationship between art, fiction, and historical narrative. Launched in Arabic in March 2020, al-Madaq’s English version is now live with the support of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC).