Since the end of February, several museums in the Middle East have closed their doors as the regional conflict now extends beyond the Israeli-Iranian framework. The escalation began with Israeli strikes in Iran, followed by attacks by Tehran-allied militias, before the US-Israeli Operation “Epic Fury” on February 28. Iran responded with missile salvos targeting Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
In the days following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, most Israeli museums stopped welcoming the public. Two years later, the same scenario repeats itself, this time against the backdrop of direct confrontation with Iran. Israeli museums have been instructed to close until further notice. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is, according to its director Tania Coen-Uzzielli, on its fourth removal of major works since 2023. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the “Great Scroll of Isaiah” was removed on February 28 and evacuated two days later to a safe location, out of missile range.
In Iran, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Crafts also ordered the closure of all museums, historical sites and monuments. This includes the National Museum of Iran, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran and the Museum of the Islamic Era. The authorities specify that the artifacts are transferred to secure cellars and deposits, safe from possible airstrikes or riots. On March 1, a US-Israeli strike hit Arg Square, in the immediate vicinity of Golestan Palace, in Tehran. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site suffered several damages: blown glazing, damaged woodwork and weakened mirror decorations in several rooms. The “Mirror Throne Room” was particularly affected by cracks and falling glass fragments from the ceilings and walls.
Facade of Golestan Palace in Tehran, Iran.
In the United Arab Emirates, the Jameel Arts Centre, located in the Al Jaddaf district (Dubai), ceased operations on March 2. Although preparations for the 20th edition of Art Dubai (scheduled for April 17-19, 2026) are officially continuing, organizers admit to monitoring the situation with great vigilance, aware that prolonged uncertainty could weigh on international participation.
In Abu Dhabi, debris from intercepted missiles was reported over Saadiyat Island, causing minor damage. The authorities have nevertheless decided to keep the island’s museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, open while carrying out a daily assessment of the situation. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, inaugurated at the end of 2025, has however suspended access to its galleries. The five steel towers of the Zayed National Museum remain under surveillance as plumes of smoke have been documented near the Zayed port.
In Qatar, while several Iranian missiles were intercepted above the territory on February 28, Qatar Museums – the national authority responsible for the management of museums and heritage – announced the immediate closure of all of its museums, exhibition venues and heritage sites “until further notice”. The announcement concerns in particular the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and the National Museum of Qatar.
In other Gulf states, restrictions follow the same precautionary logic. In Bahrain, hit by missiles targeting the capital Manama, authorities closed major cultural institutions, including the Bahrain National Museum. In Kuwait, the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre, one of the largest cultural districts in the world with its 18 hectares and six specialized museums, is subject to increased surveillance.
UNESCO expressed its deep concern and recalled the obligations of signatory States to the Hague Conventions relating to the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. In a statement published on March 2, the UN said it had transmitted to the belligerents the GPS coordinates of world heritage sites and several major national sites, in order to prevent possible strikes nearby.
