Louvre and ALIPH join forces to restore Beirut National Museum after port explosion
In the aftermath of the explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020, which resulted in around 150 fatalities and inflicted $4.6 billion in damages, initiatives to rehabilitate the city's cultural assets have commenced. The National Museum of Beirut experienced extensive destruction, with almost all windows and doors shattered and security systems compromised. Restoration assessments, monitored by police, started on September 1, 2020, with damages estimated at $1 million. ALIPH has set aside $200,000 for immediate repairs, and the Louvre has dispatched specialists to supervise the restoration efforts. Founded in 2017, ALIPH introduced a $5 million Action Plan to preserve Beirut's heritage, with nearly 650 heritage structures, especially in Gemmayzeh, also affected. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Key facts
- Explosion on August 4, 2020, in Beirut port area caused ~150 deaths and $4.6 billion damage.
- National Museum of Beirut severely damaged: doors, windows, electrical, alarm, video surveillance.
- Surveys for restoration began September 1, 2020.
- Damage to museum estimated at $1 million by Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities.
- ALIPH provided $200,000 for urgent repairs.
- Louvre sent two expert teams: Near Eastern Antiquities and Architectural Heritage and Gardens.
- ALIPH was founded in 2017 in Geneva by France and UAE.
- ALIPH launched a $5 million Action Plan for Beirut heritage.
- Nearly 650 listed heritage buildings damaged, especially in Gemmayzeh district.
- Other damaged sites: Sursock Museum, libraries, monuments, religious buildings.
Entities
Artists
- Niccolò Lucarelli
Institutions
- Musée du Louvre
- ALIPH
- National Museum of Beirut
- Directorate General of Antiquities of Lebanon
- UNESCO
- ICCROM
- ICOM
- ICOMOS
- IFLA
- French Institute of the Near East
- Sursock Museum
- Artribune
Locations
- Beirut
- Lebanon
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- France
- United Arab Emirates
- Gemmayzeh