National Museum of Iraq

The National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad is the country’s principal museum for Iraqi antiquities, containing artefacts from ancient Mesopotamia through later Islamic periods. Its collections include pottery, sculpture, cuneiform tablets and items central to the study of Mesopotamian civilizations.

Exhibits cover Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian cultures among others, and the museum serves both research and public-education roles. The institution suffered major losses when it was looted during the 2003 conflict; many items have since been recovered and conservation work has been undertaken to stabilise and catalogue the collections.

The museum was established to preserve Iraq’s archaeological heritage and has been central to national and international efforts in artifact recovery and museum restoration. It remains an important repository for objects that document the long human history of Mesopotamia.

Located in Baghdad, the museum sits within the city and has historically been accessible to scholars and, when conditions permit, to the public visiting exhibitions and special displays.

• Collections scope: Holds extensive collections spanning prehistoric Mesopotamia through Islamic periods, including important cuneiform tablets, sculptures and reliefs.
• 2003 looting: Suffered large-scale looting during the 2003 conflict, after which many artifacts were recovered and long-term restoration and archiving efforts followed.