Theatres, museums and cultural centers are reopening in Syria — The National
In Syria, theatres, museums, cultural centers and art spaces are resuming operations after years of closure and war damage. In Damascus, the Al-Hamra Theatre reopened in September after nearly nine months of restoration, The National reports.
The Al-Hamra Theatre, first opened in 1960 as part of the development of Syria’s National Theatre, was renovated along with its auditorium, seats, offices, backstage and storage spaces. During the work, old theatre equipment and a 1960 piano were restored. After reopening, the venue resumed its program with Children’s Theatre Days and an Arabic-language production of “Fella and the Seven Dwarfs”.
Openings in Damascus and Homs
In September, the studio-gallery of Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres also resumed operations in central Damascus. In the space established by the artist in 1967, which became a meeting place for artists, writers and intellectuals, walls affected by damp were repaired. At the same time, the artist’s brushes, paints, tools, personal belongings and a large mural were preserved there. The first exhibition was “Eleven Years” by artist Khaled al-Attar.
In August, the Homs Museum began welcoming visitors for the first time since 2011, although only one hall is open so far. It hosted Stone Sculpture Week, displaying archaeological objects between three and four thousand years old. The museum needs a new exhibition concept, special display cases, lighting, temperature and humidity control systems, as well as trained staff for a full reopening.
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In Homs, the Historic Orthodox Theatre, whose history dates back to 1890, opened in March. It is considered the city’s first purpose-built theatre and the second oldest in Syria. Restoration began in 2022, and the opening was marked by the exhibition “From Ruins to Stage”, dedicated to the restoration of the building.
Sites still requiring restoration
In Damascus, restoration of the 216-seat Al-Kabbani Theatre, opened in 1959, is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Despite outdated infrastructure and the need for repairs, the theatre remained active this year and hosted performances and events. Nawar Bulbul, director of Syria’s Directorate of Theatres and Music, said productions would be prepared in parallel with the repair work so that the theatre season could begin immediately after reopening.
Restoration planning is also continuing for the Maarat al-Numan Museum in Idlib, housed in a 16th-century Ottoman building. The museum is known for one of the country’s most important collections of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. The building was struck during the war, and some mosaics were damaged. Surviving exhibits were inventoried, packed and placed in storage, while an engineering study is to determine the cost of restoring the museum.
Other restored cultural spaces include the Arab Cultural Center in Talkalakh, a cultural center in Azaz with a library of more than 30,000 books, and Tower No. 8 of the Damascus Citadel. Following restoration, the tower became the Syrian House of Heritage, where exhibitions are held, traditional crafts are presented and other cultural events are organized.
