Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Alexandria's Graeco-Roman Museum to reopen within 18 months
After eight years in limbo, the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria is to be restored with Italian assistance
Published in Ahram Online on 30 - 10 - 2013

Next week restoration work at the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria is to restart after an eight-year pause.
In 2005, the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) (now the Ministry of State of Antiquities - MSA) closed the Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria and took it off the tourist track for restoration. According to the plan at the time, both buildings of the museum and its library were meant to be consolidated and restored while the showcases at the museum would be improved to ensure a better display of the artifacts.
But due to lack of finances and expertise, and the 2011 revolution, the whole project was put on hold until yesterday when Minister of State for Antiquties Mohamed Ibrahim and Italian Ambassador to Egypt Maurizio Massari signed a memorandum of understanding on restoring the museum, the North Cemetery in Saqqara outside Cairo, and Medinet Madi archaeological site in Fayoum.
Ibrahim said that funds would be provided by the Italian government and from a debt swap programme and the Italian development agency. Funds allocated amount to $6 million and €2 million respectively.
The museum's restoration works, Ibrahim added, are to be carried out in collaboration with Universita della Tuscia based in Viterbo in Italy for the coming 18 months, including restoration of the building itself, the replacement of showcases, installing new lighting, ventilation and security systems, as well as renewing the overall display layout.
According to the new restoration plan, said Hisham El-Leithy, general director of scientific publications at the MSA, the museum will include halls for the permanent display of the museum's treasured collection, a section dedicated to archaeological study and research, and a museum for children. Italian architects, said Ibrahim, will use state of the art techniques to make the museum more environmentally friendly.
"Finally, the restoration of the Graeco-Roman Museum comes true," Ibrahim told Ahram Online. "The museum will not only be another tourist attraction, but it will provide 1,000 jobs, which in turn will contribute to the economic growth of this community."
According to Massari, the agreement is testament to the health of ongoing institutional cooperation between the two countries, and to Italy's role in cultural heritage conservancy, the benefits of which go far beyond Egypt. ''There is a very clear link between culture and economic development, tourism and job creation. This is not just about culture as an end in itself, but also about improving socio-economic conditions. Egyptian citizens will be the first to benefit," Massari explained.
The Graeco-Roman Museum houses a large number of Egypt's antiquities from the period roughly 300BC to the Arab Conquest in the 7th century. It was built in 1895 by Italian archaeologist Giusepe Botti and has been renovated several times along the span of its history. It was last restored almost 20 years ago.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/85144.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.