Funding issues

Erbil Civilization Museum expansion facing delays

2024-02-12 | 21:25

ERBIL – The expansion of the Erbil Civilization Museum is facing delays because of funding issues, according to Nader Babak, director of Erbil Antiquities.

The effort to modernize the museum’s facade and add new sections, which started a year ago, is moving slowly due to irregular funding.

“Since starting the renovation of the museum’s facade and adding new sections, we’ve received only a 20 million dinar advance in the past three months. At this pace, the project won’t finish for another year,” Babak said.

The museum aims to improve the visitor experience by updating the cafeteria and creating replica artifacts for marketing.

However, the National Museum project, planned for two years, is on hold because of disputes with the contractor over design changes, delaying its start.

The Erbil Museum, constructed from 1985 to 1989 and opened a year later, showcases artifacts from the past 60,000 years.

Its collection includes items from the Neolithic era and covers the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian periods.

Cultural and artistic ventures throughout the Kurdistan Region are facing shortfalls in funding due to ongoing financial difficulties in the region.