Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq is prioritizing the reopening of the Iraq Museum and plans to open three more museums in Nineveh, Diyala, and Al-Diwaniyah, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ali Al-Dakhili said on Sunday.

During a visit to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Al-Dakhili noted that the ministry is seeking a new building for the Iraq Museum to better showcase the country’s historical and cultural heritage.

The ministry is also preparing to open a museum inside the presidential palace in Babil province. The facility will display archaeological and heritage artifacts from the province, "reflecting its place in the history of human civilization."

Directing officials to strengthen protection at archaeological sites and return a winged bull statue from Nineveh province ahead of its return to public display, he said the ministry is working to secure contracts for archaeological site guards and recruit people receiving social welfare benefits who have been selected for the positions. "The measures aim to improve site security and curb encroachments and other threats to Iraq’s archaeological heritage," he added.

Iraq’s antiquities have long been vulnerable to looting and smuggling, particularly during periods of conflict, including the 2003 US-led invasion and the rise of ISIS. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities reported that Iraq recovered more than 40,000 artifacts in 2024 and 2025 through seizures inside the country and repatriation efforts abroad. Last July, authorities seized 685 authentic silver coins dating to the 12th and 13th centuries and arrested three suspects accused of attempting to sell them illegally in Al-Sulaymaniyah.

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