Museum to connect with the world
Basra museum collection to go online in new virtual initiative
BASRA, January 31 – Museum enthusiasts across the world may soon have the chance to virtually visit the Basra Museum as officials announced a project on Wednesday to take the facility’s collection online.
Mustafa Al-Husseini, head of antiquities in Basra, said the initiative would mimic a similar project in Mosul and allow for virtual visits from around the world.
“This step, in collaboration with Ayoub Zannoun, who virtually documented heritage and archaeological sites in Mosul, involves a 360, 3-D montage of the sites, viewable through special glasses” Al-Husseini said.
Future visitors will also be able to tour the collections using a remote control, with some portions expected to go live online within weeks, Al-Husseini added.
“We have already captured ‘The Steps of Imam Ali,’ making two sites ready for display. Upon completion, we will receive a link to join global museums like the Louvre and the British Museum, which have virtually photographed their contents,” he continued.
Ayoub Zannoun, head of the Mosul Heritage Foundation, commented on the project’s expansion: “Following the success of the first virtual museum in Iraq featuring Mosul’s antiquities, the [Basra Museum] was chosen for the project’s extension.”
Zannoun praised the museum’s digital transformation and efforts to protect and preserve the region’s antiquities and heritage.
A collaboration with the Mosul Heritage Foundation and USAID, the new project is further expected to boost tourism in Basra.
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