Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Suez National Museum to be opened

Ahram Online (Nevine El-Aref)

With photos.

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and Minister of State for Antiquities Zahi Hawass will officially inaugurate the Suez National Museum this Thursday. Built over three years with a budget of LE 42 million, the museum is 5950 square meters in size and displays 1500 artefacts that tell the story of the city of Suez from prehistoric to modern times.

Hawass says construction of the museum is part of a plan by the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA) to establish national museums in cities throughout Egypt. The Suez museum displays archaeological artefacts, illustrations and maps that reveal the history of the Suez Canal beginning with the time of the canal’s ancient forerunner, the Sesostris Canal. This ancient canal was built during the reign of King Senusret III (1878-1840 BC) to link the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea via the River Nile. A colossus statue of the king is on show.

Attiya Radwan, Head of the Museums Sector at the MSA, explains that the port of Suez was an important trade centre throughout the Pharaonic period and continued to grow in importance through history into the modern era.

Al Masry Al Youm

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Thursday will officially open the Suez National Museum of Antiquities, which will showcase nearly 7000 years of Suez history.

The museum will showcase the history of the city from prehistoric times to the modern era. It includes a Suez Canal display that features artifacts, paintings and maps detailing the canal's history.

In a statement on Monday, Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass said the new museum comes as part of a plan to establish national museums to show the history of various Egyptian cities and to establish cultural centers through activities held at them.

The museum was built on an area of 5950 square meters and cost LE42 million. It includes 1500 antiquities.

Egypt State Information Service

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf will open on Thursday 19/5/2011 the Suez National Museum to house 1,500 ancient artifacts.

The museum, built on a 5,950 square meter area, cost LE 42 million to build, Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawwas said on Monday. It displays the history of Suez city spanning over 7,000 years since ancient times to the modern era, Hawwas added.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Antiquities Affairs Ministry is to head for Switzerland within days to restore a fifth Dynasty relief work from Basel Museum, which decided to give the stolen artifact back to Egypt.

The limestone relief piece of that dates back to some 4200 years ago (2465-2323 BC) shows daily life of fishing and is 51 centimeter high.

Egypt also had restored from Switzerland the eye of king Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC), which was stolen from one of the huge statues inside the temple of Kom al-Hetan in Luxor.

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