The museum will eagerly accept donation by private collectors, said museum curator Hojjatoleslam Fakhreddin Saberi.
“Donated copies are first restored and then safeguarded using standard techniques to avoid further damage,” he told the Persian service of IRNA, adding, “donated items are registered in the names of the owners, who are given a receipt.”
“Our experts also appraise the value of copies of manuscripts whose owners are interested in selling. This process helps preserve our culture and civilization from the past,” he mentioned.
“In a public statement, the museum plans to announce the conditions of acceptance and also explain the requirements for donated manuscripts,” he remarked.
Saberi later talked about the days and times the museum is open and stated, “The place used to be open only on Wednesday but now it is open from Saturday till Wednesday.
The museum is located near the Presidential Office and several other governmental departments, so we are not able to hold additional ceremonies or exhibits because of security concerns.”
The three-story underground building, the bottom of which is 14 meters below street level, was constructed before the Islamic Revolution and officials originally planned to convert it into a cultural center.
That project was halted for several years but in 2001, the building was converted into a museum when the then Cultural Heritage Organization (CHTO) purchased eighty rare copies of the Holy Quran. The museum was not open to the public at that time, but was officially inaugurated in 2005.
A skylight has been built in the roof of the museum, which is at street level, providing sufficient light for several sections of the museum including the library, amphitheater, and the exhibition hall.
The museum is located near Marmar Palace at the intersection of Vali-e Asr and Imam Khomeini streets.
RM/YAW
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MNA