76 December 2011 BTM still maintained throughout generations of Bahrainis. Nestled in the small walking streets of the old capital of Muharraq is a truly fine example of bringing Bahrain’s history to life. The Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Center For Culture and Research has restored the traditional homes of some of Bahrain’s most significant cultural figures of the past such as namesake, Shaikh Ebrahim, a prominent figure in the fields of education, culture and the social sciences. Opened in 2002, the centre consists of ten distinctive houses dedicated to their past residents who were leaders in music, journalism, poetry and pearl trading. Other houses feature artisans at work with traditional handicrafts, a children’s library and a café all within walking distance of each other, except for the Poetry House, which is located in Manama. Traditional Bahraini architecture from wooden shutters and stained glass windows to benches and doorways are revived to magnificent form. Each house does an exceptional job of capturing the life and times of its great cultural dwellers and furthering their legacies through the extensive array of activities the center offers. Over the past 40 years or so, Bahrain, whose name means Land of Two Seas, has sought ways to cherish its unique history while uncovering and preserving its cultural relics. These progressive initiatives are revealed when you walk through the doors of the island’s pre-eminent museums and can been seen throughout the Kingdom’s natural surroundings from the ancient forts to the burial mounds. Preserved for the people and future generations, a look at these cultural treasures is a time well spent. Museums of life The Bahrain National Museum, located on the waterfront facing Al-Fatih Highway, is home to the most comprehensive archaeological evidence of the Kingdom’s rich past spanning thousands of years. Within the GCC, Bahrain is regarded as being significantly ahead of its neighbours in taking steps to record and honour its past. The museum was purposefully built to house the country’s burgeoning collection of cultural artefacts and to preserve cultural heritage. Inside the expansive two-storey building, which opened in 1988, are six themed halls housing its permanent collection that feature the island’s most important collection of archaeological artefacts unearthed in digs over the past fifty years. Coins, seals, pottery, jewellery and historical documents are some of the artefacts which piece together Bahrain’s ancient history; even reconstructed ancient burial mounds are on display complete with skeletal remains and an array of gravesite artefacts. The popular tableau exhibits brings us to more recent history highlighting local customs and traditions annualreview Cherishing the Past SHAUNA NEARING LOEJ Bahrain has a vast cultural history spanning over 7,000 years according to archaeologists and researchers. Preserving this heritage is the ambit of the Ministry of Culture. Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Center For Culture and Research xxxxx Preserved for the people and future generations, a look at these cultural treasures is a time well spent
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==