EGYPT-TEXTILE MUSEUM Egypt reopens Textile Museum after restoration

Record ID: 146428

  • Title: EGYPT-TEXTILE MUSEUM Egypt reopens Textile Museum after restoration
  • Date: 16th July 2015
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JULY 15, 2015) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF MOEZ STREET VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE TEXTILE MUSEUM SIGN READING (Arabic): "EGYPTIAN TEXTILE MUSEUM" VARIOUS OF ARTEFACTS INSIDE MUSEUM EGYPT'S ANTIQUITIES MINISTER, MAMDOUH AL-DAMATY, SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE DAMATY CUTTING RIBBON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPT'S ANTIQUITIES M
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA79XSYMUOLJ3WAOXCX12TSK4LB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Egypt reopened the Textile Museum in Cairo's historic Moez Street late on Wednesday (July 15) after a three-month closure during which restoration work was carried out.
    Changes have been made to the floors, walls and lighting of the museum, antiquities minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said.
    Humidity had resulted in some serious cracks that were fixed during the restoration, the minister added.
    Damaty evoked the country's glorious past after cutting the ribbon at the re-opening.
    "It includes Egyptian textile from the Pharaonic era, through the Mano (Roman) era, and Coptic art, Coptic textile and the Islamic textile, and thus it displays Egypt's link of civilisation. There's also a section that focuses on the tools that were used in textile-making, and if you like them, you'll find that they were the same tools that were used during the Pharaonic era," Damaty said.
    "So, there's a special civilisation link at this museum, and a message to the whole world: 'Egypt has the oldest civilisation, and a link of civilisation in all its displays. Today, there isn't one example of civilisation, culture or even sports that doesn't have Egyptian roots,'' he said.
    Under the restoration, the museum's security has enhanced and fire safety improved.
    The opening celebrated the restoration of 100 artefacts with 100 more still needing work.
    The antiquities ministry is working with the Cairo governorate, housing ministry, culture ministry, tourism ministry and the Awkaf ministry to revive, conserve and restore historic sites and culture hubs.
    Museum manager Mohamed Saleh said the museum was generating a lot of buzz because of the neighbourhood. The Moez street has undergone considerable restoration work in recent years.
    "Because it's in the heart of Moez Street, particularly in the Ben al-Asreen neighbourhood, which is the oldest neighbourhood in all of Cairo, the museum has become quite frequently visited, because Moez Street, has been under the light for a while now, people have got to know the textile museum up close," Saleh said.
    Aziza Abdullah was among those who came to see the museum.
    "I was a frequent visitor of this street, and particularly the textile museum, which was closed for 3 months. I came today because I was interested to see the developments that have taken place here; there are a lot of changes, including in the floors and lighting and also the focus on the important pieces, which is a very positive thing," she said.
    The restoration of the museum cost 8.2 million Egyptian pounds, the equivalent of $1.04 million U.S dollars.
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