Saddam Hussein's Palace in Basra Transformed into Museum

A former palace of Saddam Hussein in Basra, Iraq, has partially opened as the Basrah Museum after eight years of planning and obstacles. The building, originally a presidential residence, was looted during the First Gulf War in 1991 and severely damaged by allied airstrikes in 2003. In 2005, museum director Mudhar Abd Alhay was killed; he was succeeded in 2008 by Qahtan Alabeed, who sought to establish a new home for the ancient art collection saved by his predecessor. Funding from the UK, whose troops had occupied the site, was delayed. Ultimately, the non-profit Friends of Basrah Museum, founded by former British Museum curator John Curtis, raised $650,000. Currently, only one hall is open to visitors, but the museum aims to display a collection spanning 2,000 years of city history from 400 BC, including Mesopotamian and Assyro-Babylonian artifacts. Additional funding expected by end of November will enable full operation. Negotiations are ongoing to bring over 550 pieces to Basra, with discussions focusing on security and logistics in a country still affected by ISIS, internal conflicts, and economic crisis.