UNESCO supports Iraq National Museum to protect and preserve its collection

As part of the efforts to support museums in Iraq, UNESCO has donated equipment, conservation and storage materials to the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad, based on the priority needs identified by the Museum and the Ministry of Culture. The donated equipment and materials will contribute to the Museum’s efforts to safeguard and promote its invaluable collection. Moreover, it will help Museum staff to conduct inventory and update database of the museum collection, and thus improve collection documentation and storage management.

The National Museum is dedicated to the collection and interpretation of the history of Iraq and its environs. The collections consist of mainly man-made objects covering the past 7,000 years. The types of objects in the collection represent Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Islamic cultures and include objects made of glass, pottery, metal, ivory, and parchment, among others.

With the armed conflict in March 2003, the National Museum suffered significant damage, leading to the loss of many of its objects through looting. Although the total number of looted items is debated, the Museum management staff has estimated that about 15,000 items, including 5,000 valuable cylinder seals, were stolen. After the destruction and pillaging that occurred in 2003, UNESCO has worked hand in hand with Iraqi professionals for its rehabilitation. According to the National Museum of Iraq, 4,300 objects (28.6%) out of the 15,000 looted from the Museum have been returned. The Iraqi government officially reopened the National Museum in Baghdad in February 2015.

Moreover, museums around the world have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 90% of them, or more than 85,000 institutions worldwide, having closed their doors during the crisis, including the Iraq National Museum. The donated equipment and materials will strengthen the Museum capacities to preserve its collection and reopen when circumstances improve in order to keep bringing enrichment and knowledge to as many people as possible.