After its Renovation, the Manuscripts Museum Regains its Luster
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Alexandria—
Several new developments have taken place at the Manuscripts Museum of the BA. After restoration of its possessions and renovation of the exhibition hall, the renewed Museum was inaugurated by the President of Italy last month. Italy had previously donated to the Library special display cases for manuscripts and rare books.
Dr. Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, said that the Museum now presents to humanity a complete picture of the development of human civilization, and specifically the development of the art of writing. He pointed out that the Museum houses rare books and manuscripts, a collection of 154 miniature books, an old print of the Torah written in Arabic on a long scroll which was donated to the Library by the Head of the Jewish Sect in Egypt, an a solid model of the Holy Shrine in Mecca, a manuscript written in Hebrew housed inside a wooden box, and a collection of translations of the Holy Quran in different languages.
Dr. Serageldin explained that, besides the expansion of the exhibition hall area, the mode of display has undergone an overall enhancement.
In addition, a complete restoration was made of the two pieces of the covering of the Kaaba, which are considered the most important and the most beautiful of the Museum possessions. They date back to the year 1936 and were a gift from King Abdel-Aziz Al Saud to the great Egyptian economist, Talaat Harb.