National Museum of Somalia

Coordinates: 2°02′15″N 45°20′17″E / 2.0375°N 45.338056°E / 2.0375; 45.338056

National Museum of Somalia
Matxafka Qaranka
Established	1934
Location	Mogadishu, Benadir, Somalia

The National Museum of Somalia was established by the Italians in 1934 in Mogadishu, Somalia (previous Italian Somaliland).

Old Garesa Museum

The building is a two story tall and dates back to 1872. It was built at the request of the Sultan of Zanzibar, Barghash ibn Sa'id as a residence for the Governor of Mogadishu, Suleiman bin Hamed.

In 1933 it was reconstructed and adapted to the Somalia Museum (Museo della Somalia) and was opened to the public in 1934.

After the independence of Somalia in 1960 it was turned into a National Museum. When the National Museum was moved in 1985 it was renamed to the old Garesa Museum (Museo della Garsea) and converted to a regional museum.^[1][2]

National Museum

In 1985 the Mogadishu cultural center opened. The center the consisted of the National Theater, National Library and the National Museum. The National Museums architecture shows Islamic influences and consists of a main building with four exhibition floors. To the north is a rectangular four storied building where technical and administrative offices where located. The Director-General on the opening of the museum was Ahmed Farah Warsame.^[1]

Exhibitions

The exhibition rooms were opened in May 1987.

• Ground floor: Archaeological and Ethnolographical Exhibitions.
• First floor: Historical Exhibition: Colonial Resistance and Post-Independence.
• Second floor: Historical Arms and, modern Army Exhibitions, Language and Literature.
• Third floor: Temporary Exhibits.

Closure

Due to the civil war in Somalia the museum closed in 1991 and the building has since been badly damaged.

New National Museum

A new National Museum has been established in a building across the street from the old.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Crespo-Toral, H. (1988). "Museum development and monuments conservation: Somalia". UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0007/000787/078773eo.pdf. Retrieved July 16, 2011. 
2. ^ Lengyel, Oguz Janos (1982). "National Museum of Somalia, Mogadiscio: Roof Restoration Project". UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0005/000519/051939eo.pdf. Retrieved July 16, 2011.