National Museum of Iran reopens as coronavirus curbs eased

The National Museum of Iran opened its doors to the public on Sunday as restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic have been relaxed.

The museum is opening its different sections gradually, observing strict sanitary and social distancing requirements,  the director of the museum Jebrael Nokandeh said on Sunday.

However, the full reopening of all sections of the museum may not be possible yet, he added.

The country closed cultural heritage museums and historical sites in a preventive measure amid fears of coronavirus outbreak back in February.

During Persian New Year (Nowruz) holidays in late March, the National Museum of Iran arranged online visits to make the best use of the museum during the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 10,000 people explored centuries-old objects at the museum at the time, which made the museum to extend its online visits and to launch virtual tours of its joint exhibitions showcasing loaned objects.

Earlier this month, the museum also launched virtual tours for hearing-impaired visitors to tell the story of the thousand years of human culture in Iran on the basis of the museum’s collections, with the presence of a tour guide and in sign language.

The National Museum of Iran is somewhat chockfull of priceless relics that represent various eras of the country’s rich history. Its structure was completed in 1928 based on the design by French architect André Godard who was also an archaeologist and historian of French and Middle Eastern Art.