Iraq Museum in Baghdad to reopen on December 1 following two-year closure

An Iraqi man looking at the sculpture of an ancient Assyrian god in the Iraqi Museum. Photo by: Hayder Ismaeel Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the official reopening of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, scheduled for December 1 (1-12-2026), following an extensive closure that lasted for more than two years. According to an official document published by the Ministry’s General Directorate of Public Relations and Media, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Dr. Ali Al-Dakhili confirmed the decision to reopen the landmark cultural institution to domestic visitors, international tourists, and researchers from around the world. The reopening follows extensive renovation and curatorial preparations across the museum’s historic exhibition halls, which house tens of thousands of Mesopotamian, Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian antiquities. The document highlighted several key artifacts and curated wings prepared for public display: Assyrian Statues and Reliefs: Featuring monumental winged bulls (lamassu) and stone carvings depicting legendary Assyrian monarchs. Cuneiform Collections: Ancient clay tablets and historical prisms recording legal codes, administrative decrees, and foundational texts of ancient Mesopotamia. Abbasid and Islamic Galleries: Intricately carved wooden mihrabs, monumental calligraphic friezes, and fine decorative architectural panels. Mosaics and Stone Relics: Classical stone carvings, glasswork, and multi-era mosaics recovered and restored across diverse historical periods. The ministry characterized the December 1 reopening as a pivotal milestone for Iraq’s cultural recovery and heritage tourism, framing the reactivation of the country’s flagship museum as a national celebration and an enduring bridge linking modern Iraqis and the global community to the roots of world civilization.