SANAA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Sanaa held a special exhibition Tuesday at the National Museum to mark International Museum Day, highlighting the country's damaged cultural heritage and urging its protection.
The one-day exhibition, organized by the General Organization of Antiquities and Museums in Sanaa, showcased photographs and materials documenting archaeological sites, cultural landmarks and historical treasures affected by years of conflict and bombardment.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognized government the following year.
"Targeting the National Museum is a systematic aggression aimed at erasing Yemen's civilization and history," Abdullah Mohammed Thabit, deputy head of the antiquities and museums authority in Sanaa, told Xinhua. He said more than 60 historical sites across Yemen have been damaged during the conflict.
Originally established in 1971, the National Museum had remained closed for nearly a decade due to the conflict before reopening to the public in May 2023. However, renewed airstrikes on Sanaa in September 2025 forced it to shut down again.
Despite the closure, the museum reopened temporarily on Tuesday for the commemorative exhibition, attracting visitors and passersby eager to enter the historic building.
"I waited a long time for this moment. I hope the museum will not close again," said visitor Abdul Salam Al-Haifi. "Heritage, culture and history should be protected and passed from one generation to another."
The museum houses tens of thousands of artifacts, including ancient manuscripts, sculptures and relics from pre-Islamic and Islamic periods, as well as exhibits documenting Yemen's modern history.
International Museum Day is observed annually on May 18 under an initiative launched by the International Council of Museums. ■
