The Palestinian Museum in Birzeit, located in the occupied West Bank, is adjusting its mission and operational parameters amid ongoing oppression. Balancing visitor access with the need to safeguard its collection in the face of regional violence, the museum has initiated digital exhibitions and international partnerships to reach wider audiences. 

Founded by Taawon, a nonprofit civic organization established in 1983 by Palestinian business leaders and intellectuals, the museum opened in 2016 with the aim of preserving and showcasing Palestinian culture. Following Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in October 2023, the museum closed for four months. Upon reopening in February 2024, it launched “This is Not an Exhibition” (2024– ), an ongoing show aimed at fostering a collective narrative against the violence in Gaza. Featuring loans from private collectors and institutions across Palestine, the exhibition also invites public contributions of works by Palestinian artists. To date, the show has featured 335 works by 122 artists, including at least five who have since been killed.  

“All the technical aspects of our work in the museum are changing, radically and rapidly,” said Amer Shomali, the director general of the museum, to The Art Newspaper. To reach audiences unable to visit the institution, they introduced “Gaza Remains the Story,” a free digital exhibition featuring 35 works by Gazan artists alongside archival and audiovisual materials. Downloaded in 120 locations worldwide, the show’s success prompted the development of two additional exhibitions planned for digital release. 

In addition to online initiatives, the museum has developed new international partnerships to showcase items from its collection abroad. One such exhibition, “Thread Memory: Embroidery from Palestine” (2025), currently on view at the V&A Dundee in Scotland, explores the social and cultural identity of Palestinian people through tatreez—the traditional art of Palestinian hand embroidery. 

Concerned about the safety of its collection, which includes 19th and 20th century paintings, embroidery, and political posters, the museum has implemented protective measures, resulting in some works remaining in Europe following overseas exhibitions.

Closer to home, the institution is actively participating in the safeguarding of Palestinian cultural heritage in Gaza. Its staff have retrieved items of cultural value from the rubble of bombed museums and historical sites, including an embroidered dress from the Rafah Museum now on display in the Dundee exhibition.

While these efforts continue, the museum faces a financial crisis due to the withdrawal of European and American funding and the reallocation of support from Palestinian and Arab donors to emergency relief in Gaza. Despite these challenges, Shomali emphasized the museum’s commitment to its long-term mission of presenting the history of Palestine and its people.

Contributions can be made directly at the museum’s website to support its ongoing work.

Sanle Yan is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.