Palestinian Museum Prepares to Open, Minus Exhibitions

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By James Glanz and Rami Nazzal

isitors last week at the new Palestinian Museum in Birzeit in the West Bank. It will open its doors on Wednesday despite being empty. Credit Rina Castelnuovo for The New York Times

WEST BANK---When the $24 million Palestinian Museum celebrates its opening on Wednesday, it will have almost everything: a stunning, contemporary new building; soaring ambitions as a space to celebrate and redefine Palestinian art, history and culture; an outdoor amphitheater; a terraced garden. One thing the museum will not have is exhibitions. The long-planned — and much-promoted — inaugural show, “Never Part,” highlighting artifacts of Palestinian refugees, has been suspended after a disagreement between the museum’s board and its director, which led to the director’s ouster. [link]