How to Preserve Our  Cultural and Historical Heritage [Archives:2000/30/Culture]

The National Museum in Taiz is a national edifice standing as a witness to an important part of our history. However, it is now a misery. Negligence by the authorities to maintain and preserve this important building has led to an all-out destruction of the museum, let alone the antiquities and items inside it.
Many tourists and visitors express their deep sorrow and discomfort over this total neglect; no maintenance to the building, no good and proper arrangement of items kept in the museum, no good lighting , no inventory of the items in the museum, etc.
Concerning these difficulties, Mr. Abdulkarim Taher Al-Sufi, General Manager of the National Museum in Taiz, said ” Originally the National Museum was the house of the Imam where he lived with his family. It was rather a simple building. After the 26 September revolution , this house was changed into a museum. Due to the numerous visitors during the past period, there were many problems. For example, lack of maintenance works of the building resulted in large cracks on almost all of its walls. Besides, the building sank to a lower level owing to its weak foundations. The General Organization of Antiquities, Museums and Manuscripts had already carried out some restorations in the building’s south-western side. However, that did not solve the problem and was of no use for the whole building is in cry need of an all-out restoration.
Articles in the museum are belongings of the Imam including his clothes, perfumes, carpets, metal dishes which are scattered and unorganized. Bad lighting and mishandling the display of these materials and items may, in course of time, lead to their decay. A look in will make the whole thing clear. Every thing seems to be stuffed in a heedless randomly manner. The building also suffers from the limited cleaning equipment that are available for the museum. The museum also lacks an emergency exits, fire extinguisher, and other means as well.
Mr. Nassr Al-Hadi and Mr. Walid Kasem Mohammed, employees in the museum, confirm that the museum is not at all up to the expectations of many visitors who more often than not are unsatisfied for various factors including:
1) Limited number of employees, especially sweepers. Dust has accumulated on floors, lanes, offices, etc.
2) Unorganized display of the items and bad lighting system.
3) Limited financial resources.
4) Lack of transportation means belonging to the museum.
5) Lack of maintenance operations.
6) Non-existence of competent administrative cadre.
7) Deficiency in guarding financial system.
8) The non-existence of an organized administrative system.
Wadah Al-Naktari, a visitor to the museum, said “Museums in Taiz are in miserable condition. They are not built according to the international standards. They are paid no attention by the authorities. Therefore, many visitors and tourists when visiting these museums find so little to see and to impress them.”
Mr. Mohammed Musleh, General Manager of the Organization of Antiquities in Taiz, said “Our department is still in its infancy period. Besides, if we want to make museums meet the international standards, this will require a lot of money. Taiz lacks the historical museum and social heritage museum. We aim to finance these projects and transfer them to a complex of museums. The authority does not pay much attention to museums. It claims that there are some other services projects that need to be funded. However, if authorities do consider and have a pragmatic view towards tourism industry, this will mark a turning- point in the economy of the country.
Museums are very much important and widely visited by tourists. Therefore, if attention, focused on other services, is paid to museums, it is certain that the tourist drive will be enhanced. Besides, considerable revenues will be gained from these historical monuments.
This great historical heritage is a potential wealth of our country and we hope that the Authority will give it the same importance as it views other potentials as well.
Imad Al-Saqqaf
Taiz Office

——
[archive-e:30-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-07-24-p:./2000/iss30/culture.htm]