Tales of a City by the Sea

On March 20, the Welfare Association, a not-for-profit organization that provides development and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, held an evening event to introduce the Palestinian Museum to the arts community and international press who were in Dubai for the annual Art Dubai fair. Hosted by the chairman of the Palestinian Museum Task Force, Omar Al-Qattan, and the museum director, Jack Persekian, the reception revealed the museum’s ambitions and plans for construction beginning in April 2013.

The building, designed by the Dublin-based architects Heneghan Peng – who also designed the new Grand Museum of Egypt in Cairo – is a modern structure inspired by the terraces of Birzeit. To be constructed in two phases, the first phase of 3000 square metres will cost approximately $11 million and be completed by 2014. The second phase to be completed within 10 years will expand the museum to 9000 square metres.

Lucy Rees: How…