Saturday, December 07, 2013
Kabul (BNA) US Ambassador James B. Cunningham joined Afghanistan’s Minster of Information and Culture, Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, and director General of the Department of Museums, Omara Khan Masoudi, at a ribbon-cutting celebration on Thursday 5 December 2013 to inaugurate new facilities at the National Museum of Afghanistan.
The new facilities, funded by US government grant, include a visitors’ entrance, perimeter wall, and tower designed and constructed as part of the architectural master plan for the National Museum of Afghanistan which is being supervised implemented by S.E.F Office for Architecture and Design.
These improvements will help create a more secure environment for visitors to the National Museum of Afghanistan and protect, preserve, and present its collection.
During the event, US Ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham stated, “The world will come to this place one day and future generations of Afghans and international visitors will enjoy exhibits at a National Museum of Afghanistan which is able fully to display all the remarkable artifacts and treasures in the museum’s collection.
He ended his remarks by saying, “I commend the government’s commitment to improving and expanding the National Museum and look forward to seeing the museum grow and prosper to serve the people of Afghanistan and the world.”
The US government is also supporting a museum partnership project with the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago to create a database documenting the National Museum of Afghanistan’s collection.
Last year, the Ministry of Information and Culture and the US Embassy, in cooperation with S.E.F. office for architecture and design, announced the results of an international architectural competition for a new National Museum building.
Architects and designers from more than 40 countries submitted designs.
An international jury of specialist in architecture, urban planning, museum, exhibition planning, and seismic engineering evaluated the proposals.
Since 2002, the US government has invested over USD $10 million in the National Museum, which includes the design of modern and secure National Museum building.
