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Sanaa National Museum Shuts Down Due to Funding Crisis, 54 Years after Opening

The closure of the museums came as a surprise given that the authority had announced less than two months ago that they were receiving an unprecedented number of visitors. (Local media)
The closure of the museums came as a surprise given that the authority had announced less than two months ago that they were receiving an unprecedented number of visitors. (Local media)
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Sanaa National Museum Shuts Down Due to Funding Crisis, 54 Years after Opening

The closure of the museums came as a surprise given that the authority had announced less than two months ago that they were receiving an unprecedented number of visitors. (Local media)
The closure of the museums came as a surprise given that the authority had announced less than two months ago that they were receiving an unprecedented number of visitors. (Local media)

Sanaa National Museum in the Yemeni capital shut down on Tuesday for the first time since its opening 54 years ago due to a funding crisis.

The museum, the country’s largest, went bankrupt after the Iran-backed Houthis stopped supporting its budget. The museum administration could no longer afford paying staff and bills.

The General Antiquities Authority, which is run by the Houthis, announced that another museum, the Heritage Folk Museum, in Sanaa will also be shut due to a lack of funds.

In a statement, it apologized for the closure, saying it was beyond its control and that it was working on addressing the financial problems so that the museums can be reopened “as soon as possible.”

The authority did not clarify where the revenues from the museums were going, raising questions that they were seized by the Houthis. It also did not discuss the annual budget, which should have been adopted by the illegal Houthi government.

The closure of the museums came as a surprise given that the authority had announced less than two months ago that they were receiving an unprecedented number of visitors.

Sanaa National Museum was established in 1971 at an Imami palace that was once used by the country’s former rulers who were ousted in the 1960s. Once called the Dar al-Shukr, or Palace of Gratefulness, it lies in the heart of the capital.

It boasted two main sections, one covering ancient artifacts and the other on national heritage. It also featured several sections on Islamic artifacts.

It was moved to a larger building just next to its former location to accommodate its growing collection. The government was planning on expanding it but the Houthi coup aborted all plans.

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Culture

Aseer’s Traditional Mud Houses Stand as Symbols of Cultural Heritage

The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission - SPA
The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission - SPA
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Aseer’s Traditional Mud Houses Stand as Symbols of Cultural Heritage

The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission - SPA
The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission - SPA

Mud houses in Aseer Region represent one of the most distinctive elements of the region's traditional architectural heritage, and they have been closely connected to the local environment, serving as an architectural model uniquely adapted to the region’s terrain.

While these houses were traditionally built using simple mud-and-stone construction methods, they are now experiencing a revival through restoration projects that employ the same natural materials with greater precision and craftsmanship.

According to SPA, traditionally, mud-house construction consisted of two principal stages. The first involved building stone foundations to safeguard the structure against dampness, while the second focused on preparing and applying mud made from cohesive soil mixed with water and agricultural byproducts, including straw.

The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission to preserve the urban landscape and strengthen local identity.

These efforts have contributed to the revitalization of numerous villages and mud-brick houses through restoration programs that use the same traditional clay mixtures. The programs also incorporate modern molding techniques to improve efficiency while preserving the structures' original character.

Preserving traditional construction methods is essential to maintaining the unique climatic qualities of mud-brick houses, which provide effective thermal insulation and help regulate indoor temperatures naturally.

Culture

Lebanon Heritage Site Damaged by Israeli Bombardment

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on June 7, 2026. (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on June 7, 2026. (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
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Lebanon Heritage Site Damaged by Israeli Bombardment

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on June 7, 2026. (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on June 7, 2026. (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP)

Israeli bombardment has damaged a World Heritage site in Lebanon's southern city of Tyre, a culture ministry official told AFP on Monday, as correspondents there saw debris and damage.

One of the oldest cities on the Mediterranean coast, Tyre lies around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Israeli border, and its UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins are located in two main areas of the city.

Israel's military has heavily bombed Tyre since the latest war erupted with Hezbollah, and on Sunday it issued a further evacuation warning that covered districts including one of the archaeological areas, known as the city site, which is home to Roman ruins.

AFP correspondents on Monday saw dust and debris close to ancient columns after the previous day's bombardment, as well as twisted metal and broken tree branches near several stone artefacts.

Concrete and metal debris also appeared to have been strewn onto a stone stairway.

Ali Badawi, regional director of archaeological sites for south Lebanon in the culture ministry, said Sunday's bombardment had had "the worst impact" on Tyre's ancient areas since the war began.

"The amount of debris and damage at the site is high," he said, noting both the direct impact, with the site's administrative office struck, and the indirect impact of debris strewn from nearby bombardment.

"Some archaeological artefacts were damaged when rubble fell on them, as debris fell over a large area, impacting a large number of elements at the site -- columns, capitals, column bases, mosaics," he said.

He said a preliminary damage assessment was underway but noted experts were not at the site due to the danger, adding that UNESCO had been notified.

Since a previous round of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah which erupted in 2023, UNESCO has granted more than 70 heritage sites in Lebanon, including Tyre, "provisional enhanced protection," the organisation's highest level of legal protection.

"This is a civilian site, a World Heritage site, it's not a military site at all, and there are no military activities there," Badawi said.

He noted the other part of the site in Tyre, Al-Bass, had been damaged earlier in the conflict.

Late last month, Lebanon's Culture Minister Ghassan Salame told AFP that Israeli strikes on the country's south were putting heritage sites in "serious danger".

Culture

Saudi Arabia Concludes Participation at Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair

Through its pavilion, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge. (SPA)
Through its pavilion, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Concludes Participation at Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair

Through its pavilion, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge. (SPA)
Through its pavilion, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission concluded the Kingdom’s participation as guest of honor at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, held from May 29 to June 7.

Through its pavilion, led by the commission, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge.

The diverse program included literary and cultural seminars, alongside artistic and performance displays, traditional crafts, heritage fashion, rare manuscripts, and replica artifacts.

Activities also extended to public spaces and shopping centers across Kuala Lumpur to broaden cultural outreach, in addition to hosting the Saudi Dinner Night, which brought together senior officials, diplomats, intellectuals, and media figures.

The Saudi pavilion highlighted the Kingdom’s growing cultural movement in literature, publishing, and translation, with contributions from several national entities, presenting a rich image of Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape that was praised by visitors and participating institutions.