Iraq Museum

The Iraq Museum holds the principal collection of Mesopotamian antiquities in the country: Sumerian statuary and the Warka vase and mask from Uruk, Akkadian and Babylonian material, Assyrian reliefs and lamassu from Nimrud and Khorsabad, the treasures from the queens' tombs, and Islamic-period collections. The museum was looted in 2003, losing thousands of objects, and the decades since have been a long recovery: galleries reopened in stages, and objects have been returned in significant numbers from abroad, with recovered pieces often displayed alongside their story. Reopening has been intermittent, with closures at various points, so checking that it is open before going is worth doing. It remains the essential place to see what the sites themselves no longer hold.

History

After the First World War archaeologists from Europe and the United States began excavating across Iraq, and to keep their finds in the country Gertrude Bell began collecting artefacts in a government building in Baghdad in 1922. In 1966 the collection moved to a two-storey building of 45,000 square metres in al-Salihiyyah and took the name Iraq Museum, and in 1983 Bahija Khalil became its first woman director (Wikipedia, Iraq Museum).

The main sights

• The Warka vase and mask - the Uruk pieces at the heart of the collection.
• Assyrian reliefs - carved slabs and lamassu from the northern palaces.
• Royal tomb gold - the jewellery from the Nimrud queens' burials.
• Recovered objects - returned pieces shown with their recovery history.

When to go

November to March for comfortable weather in the city. The museum is indoors and works in any conditions. Opening has been irregular over the years, so confirming current hours in advance matters.

Before you go

Opening is not guaranteed and the museum has closed for extended periods. Labelling is uneven and largely in Arabic. Photography rules vary. Security screening at the entrance is thorough and bags are usually left.

Nearby

Mutanabbi Street lies east; the Tigris runs through the centre.

Key facts