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A٨ OERE OF ExuBrrs Ar THE

BAHRA ATOAL MUsEUM

By :

Dr. GORDO DAVS
Adisor,

Bahrain ationa Museurn

The origin of the Bahrain ational Museum dates bac to 4 Mareh 19 hen the
first museum as established in Bahrain. ears earlier in 19 the Bahrain Historical
and Archaeological Society as formed and early discussions included the imortance
of establishing a museum for resering Barhai'ns culutral heritage. t as not unitl
19 that hte Directorate of Education in cooeraiton ith the Danish Archaeological
Exediiton set u a temorary exhibiiton at A1 Hidaya School in Muharraq. Ten years
later the Goernment at the urging of the Directorate of Educaiton, entered into an
agreement ith UESCO to form a coordinating committee ith reresentaites from
informaiton, Educaiton, and Publie Wors Directorates (later Minisrties) to study the
ossibiliyt of establishing a naitonal museum to coincide ith the rearaitons for the
ihTrd nternaitonal Cofnerence of Asia Archaeology scheduled for Bahrain in 19.
Michael ice Est. as commissioned to design a temorary museum exhibit area on
hte ground lfoor, est seciton, of Goermnent House ihch oened ni 19. The
iDision of Antiquiites, ihch as established in 1968, rtansferred the museum rfom
ist quarters in Goernment House to the former Briitsh Officer's Mess in Muharraq in
19. hTe iDrectorate of Archaeology and Museums as established in 19 and the
Heritage Cenrte oened in December 1984 to roide exhibits on oular heritage
and local history.

hTe resent Barhain aitonal Museum faciliyt as inaug‫ﻫ‬rated by H.H. Shaih lsa
Bin Salman A Khalifa on 1 December 1988 and it oened to the ublie on 2 January
1989. hTe lanning for this urose-built museum as carried out ni close
collaboraiton ith HE the Miinster of nformaiton, Tari‫ ﻭ‬A. Almoayed and other
Goerment ofifcials. in May 1982 a feasibiliyt sutdy and detailed design for the
Barhain aitonal Museum as deeloed by Coiconsult in collaboration ith the
arcihtecst ronh and Hartig Rasmussen of Demnar. Tender documents ere
comleted in oember 198 and groundbreaing on the 1 by 1 merte reclaimed
site in Manama began on 1 December 1984.

hTe aitonal Musemu comlex is comosed of to adjoinde buildings ith

aroximately 2, square mertes of lfoor sace. hTe adminisrtaite ofifces,

curatoiral research areas, cosneraiton laboratories, exihbiiton fabricaiton and

rearaiton areas, and colleciton storage areas are located in the iDrcetorate Building.

hTe Driectorate contaisn aroximately 6 ofifces. hTe Museum building contaisn a

4