Nubian Museum

The Nubian Museum (officially the International Museum of Nubia) is an archaeological museum in Aswan, Upper Egypt, devoted to the archaeological, historical, cultural, and environmental heritage of Nubia. The museum grew out of the international campaign launched by UNESCO and the Egyptian government in 1960 to preserve Nubian monuments threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Dedicated to Nubian culture, heritage, and civilization, it was inaugurated on November 23, 1997, and was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2001. The museum was designed by Egyptian architect Mahmoud El-Hakim.

Origin

The Nubian Museum was built after the Egyptian government requested its construction in 1960. Its development can be credited to specialists from UNESCO, and academics from universities throughout the nation. The request was a response to the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, founded by UNESCO. Its creation allowed for a shared space to view and appreciate artifacts and monuments from Nubian history.

UNESCO's assistance in coordinating the logistical matters of funding and governmental affairs explains the museum's financing, development, and ultimate result. A trust fund, created in 1960, consisted of money from donor states and the governments of Sudan and Egypt. To this day, UNESCO and the executive board governing operations within the Nubian Museum continue to work towards the overarching goal of creating a space to appreciate the cultural heritage of ancient Nubia while preserving artifacts and practicing standard procedures of conservation on existing archeological sites throughout the region.

Building

The Nubian Museum covers an area of 50,000 square meters, 7,000 of which are devoted to the building, while the rest are devoted to gardens and other public spaces.The building was designed by Egyptian architect Mahmoud El-Hakim, while the museum's interior exhibition design was undertaken by Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez. Its exterior is clad in local sandstone and pink granite and was designed to reflect traditional Nubian architecture. The building has three floors for displaying and housing, in addition to a library and information center. The largest part of the museum is occupied by the monumental pieces, reflecting phases of the development of Nubian culture and civilization.