- Title: Egypt's Museum of Islamic Art reopens after 2014 bombing
- Date: 22nd January 2017
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 26, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAMAGED MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART AFTER BOMBING VARIOUS OF DAMAGED INTERIOR OF BUILDING AND DAMAGED ANTIQUITIES
- Embargoed: 5th February 2017 14:14
- Keywords: Egypt Islamic museum culture Cairo bomb restoration 2014
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA002605VK2D
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Two years after a bomb attack that significantly damaged Cairo's Museum of Islamic Art, it has re-opened its doors to the public.
The attack, which targeted Cairo's Security Directorate headquarters, was part of a series of attacks that took place around the third anniversary of an uprising that toppled autocratic president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Following an extensive restoration process, the museum opened its doors to the public on Friday (January 20).
Egypt's tourism industry, a crucial source of hard currency, has struggled to rebound since a mass uprising in 2011.
Former Antiquities Minister, Mamdouh al-Damaty, said the Museum's reopening showed that Egypt will not be defeated in the face of attacks by militant groups.
"We're thankful to God for this impressive opening - this great opening of the most significant museum of Islamic artefacts in the world... Egypt is capable and up for the challenge and can transform any unfortunate event into a victory and into pride-worthy results, and hopefully this will be a good start that will attract tourism, both domestic and international," said al-Damaty at an opening event on Thursday (January 19).
Wings dedicated to weaponry, coins, medicine, astronomy and weaving have been added to enhance the museum collection.
"We rescued, or even resurrected 95 percent of the artefacts that were damaged, and thankfully it was all returned to its original state. Of course, we sometimes deliberately show signs of restoration, which only adds to the beauty of the artefacts," said Hamdy Abdel Moneim, who led the restoration process.
Hussein Ismail, who visited the museum before the restoration, said it is more impressive than before.
"I'm amazed. I haven't been to the Louvre, but I feel like I'm somewhere a lot more beautiful. I feel as though I'm dreaming. I saw the museum before around 1986 and it was completely different, but what I'm seeing now is a dream, not a reality. I feel like I've visited those ancient eras, the Mamluk era, the Ayubi era, the Fatimid era - I just relived all those eras via this museum, through its 25 or 27 halls that made me feel like I've lived through all these eras," Ismail said.
Restoration experts were able to salvage all but 19 of the 179 damaged pieces and more than 4,400 exhibits are on display, including about 400 that are being shown for the first time, Egypt's Antiquities Ministry said.
The restoration work to the building, which first opened in 1903, was funded by the United Arab Emirates and UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nation, as well Switzerland, the United States and Italy. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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