Closed for years, Syria’s national museum reopens

DAMASCUS, SYRIA — Syrian officials, foreign archeologists and restoration specialists attended the reopening ceremony of the Syria’s National Museum in the heart of Damascus on Sunday, more than six years after the prominent institution was shut down and emptied as the country’s civil war encroached on the capital.

The reopening of the museum was hailed as a return to normal life by Syrian officials, eager to cash in on the Syrian armed forces’ military victories against armed groups, who had only recently shelled Damascus and threatened the seat of the government in the capital, coming only miles from the presidential palace.

Over successive military advances, and with the backing of allies Russia and Iran, Syrian troops moved in on rebel holdouts on the outskirts of Damascus, expelling the armed groups to the north and restoring calm.

“The opening of the museum is a genuine message that Syria is still here and her heritage would not be affected by terrorism,” Syrian Minister of Culture Mohamed al-Ahmad told reporters and visitors. “Today, Damascus has recovered.”

Among the antiquities on display are second-century murals from Dura-Europos in Syria’s east, textiles from central Palmyra and statues of the Greek goddess of victory from the south.

Syria’s conflict, raging since early 2011, has been detrimental for the country’s rich heritage.

Authorities shut down museums and safely stored away over 300,000 artifacts, but some sites were still destroyed by the Islamic State group, damaged by the fighting or looted.