Nearly 3,000 people who died from the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 aren't being forgotten. Their stories endure at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, where personal artifacts help memorialize some of those who perished.

9/11 artifacts share 'pieces of truth'

Six men have been charged with breaking in and stealing 18th century jewels from a Dresden Museum&nbsp;in Germany.<o:p></o:p>

All suspects have German origin and are aged between 22 and 27. The six men have been accused of stealing from the Green Vault museum in the Dresden city. <o:p></o:p>

Suspects were successful in stealing nearly 21 pieces of jewellery consisting 4,300 diamonds which have been valued at nearly €113.8m (£97.6m).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-more-laughing-gas-uk-set-to-ban-nitrous-oxide-soon-410390">No more laughing gas: UK set to ban Nitrous Oxide soon</a>

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The suspects started a fire in the museum to ensure the power supply for street lights and other security equipment was cut. They also set a car on fire in a nearby garage to ensure their safe passage to Berlin, as they assumed emergency services would be busy dealing with the fire.<o:p></o:p>

While the suspects have been charged with the crime, the stolen items are still missing. The six men have refused to acknowledge the accusations made against them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/merkel-partys-heir-apparent-to-make-risky-flood-zone-tour-410350" hreflang="en">Merkel, party's heir apparent to make risky flood zone tour</a>

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Whether or not the case will be brought to trial is yet to be decided. The state court of Dresden will take the final decision about this soon.<o:p></o:p>

Dresden’s famous the Green Vault museum was established in 1723 and is known to be one of the oldest museums of the world. This museum houses the treasury of Augustus the Strong of Saxony, which is reportedly made up of more than 4,000 pieces of gold, precious stones and other valuable material.<o:p></o:p>

Six men have been charged with breaking in and stealing 18th century jewels from a Dresden Museum in Germany. All suspects have German origin and are aged between 22 and 27.

Six men have been charged with breaking in and stealing 18th century jewels from a Dresden Museum in Germany. All suspects have German origin and are aged between 22 and 27. The six men have been accused of stealing from the Green Vault museum in the Dresden city. Suspects were successful in stealing nearly 21 pieces of jewellery consisting 4,300 diamonds which have been valued at nearly €113.8m (£97.6m). Also read | No more laughing gas: UK set to ban Nitrous Oxide soon The suspects started a fire in the museum to ensure the power supply for street lights and other security equipment was cut. They also set a car on fire in a nearby garage to ensure their safe passage to Berlin, as they assumed emergency services would be busy dealing with the fire. While the suspects have been charged with the crime, the stolen items are still missing. The six men have refused to acknowledge the accusations made against them. Also read | Merkel, party's heir apparent to make risky flood zone tour Whether or not the case will be brought to trial is yet to be decided. The state court of Dresden will take the final decision about this soon. Dresden’s famous the Green Vault museum was established in 1723 and is known to be one of the oldest museums of the world. This museum houses the treasury of Augustus the Strong of Saxony, which is reportedly made up of more than 4,000 pieces of gold, precious stones and other valuable material.

Germany: 6 men charged for stealing 18th century jewels from Green Vault museum

Meet Persephone, a robot which shows visitors the wonders of the Alistrati cave located 135 kilometres (84 miles) northeast of Thessaloniki. The robot was named Persephone the daughter of the Greek god Zeus and has been inviting people into this underworld since mid July.

Persephone the robot guides visitors through Greek cave

New museum gingerly explores German wartime suffering

A bronze statue of the main God of the kingdom of Saba, located in what is now the Yemeni province of Marib, lies in a dark and fortified room of the Sanaa National Museum. The piece was made by a man named Hawtar Athat in the first half of the sixth century BC. It has been lucky enough to survive the latest war in Yemen. Many other artefacts have not.

As war destroys Yemen's present, museums struggle to preserve its past

Hong Kong's June 4th Museum, dedicated to commemorating the victims of China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, said on Wednesday, it would temporarily close due to a licensing investigation. 
 
The museum said in a statement that officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) entered its premises on Tuesday, claiming it had not obtained a public entertainment venue licence and was potentially in breach of regulations. 
 
FEHD said in a statement its probe was launched after it had received a complaint that the venue operated without a licence. 
 
The museum, opened a decade ago and run by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, said it would seek legal advice, and close until further notice to protect the safety of staff and visitors. 
 
"Facing the current difficult political situation, the Alliance deeply believes that Hong Kongers will not forget June 4," the statement said. 
 
The Alliance "hopes Hong Kongers will continue to be wise, flexible and determined to commemorate June 4 legally, safely, peacefully, rationally in their own way, at a suitable time and place, such that the truth will not be forgotten." 
 
The inspection raises concerns over freedom of speech in Hong Kong, which traditionally holds the largest June 4 vigil in the world to commemorate the crackdown. Mainland China bans commemorations and heavily censors the topic. 
 
After Beijing set the financial hub onto an authoritarian path with its imposition of a sweeping national security law last year, fears have grown that such vigils, which typically draw tens of thousands,&nbsp;would not be allowed any more. 
 
Police have cited coronavirus restrictions to ban the vigil for the second consecutive year this year. Authorities have warned the public that taking part in an unauthorised assembly raises the risk of up to five years in prison, while 'advertising or publicising'&nbsp;illegal rallies may lead to up to 12 months. 
 
Commemorations are particularly awkward for Beijing this year, as the Communist Party celebrates its 100th anniversary. 
 
Asked whether a vigil would violate the security law, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said only that it was important to show respect to the Party. 
 
The museum reopened on Sunday after closing for renovations for several weeks. 
 
The Alliance's chairman Lee Cheuk-Yan is in jail accused of participating in an unauthorised assembly. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong's June 4th Museum, dedicated to commemorating the victims of China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, said on Wednesday, it would temporarily close due to a licensing investigation.

Hong Kong's June 4th Museum, dedicated to commemorating the victims of China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, said on Wednesday, it would temporarily close due to a licensing investigation. The museum said in a statement that officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) entered its premises on Tuesday, claiming it had not obtained a public entertainment venue licence and was potentially in breach of regulations. FEHD said in a statement its probe was launched after it had received a complaint that the venue operated without a licence. The museum, opened a decade ago and run by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, said it would seek legal advice, and close until further notice to protect the safety of staff and visitors. "Facing the current difficult political situation, the Alliance deeply believes that Hong Kongers will not forget June 4," the statement said. The Alliance "hopes Hong Kongers will continue to be wise, flexible and determined to commemorate June 4 legally, safely, peacefully, rationally in their own way, at a suitable time and place, such that the truth will not be forgotten." The inspection raises concerns over freedom of speech in Hong Kong, which traditionally holds the largest June 4 vigil in the world to commemorate the crackdown. Mainland China bans commemorations and heavily censors the topic. After Beijing set the financial hub onto an authoritarian path with its imposition of a sweeping national security law last year, fears have grown that such vigils, which typically draw tens of thousands, would not be allowed any more. Police have cited coronavirus restrictions to ban the vigil for the second consecutive year this year. Authorities have warned the public that taking part in an unauthorised assembly raises the risk of up to five years in prison, while 'advertising or publicising' illegal rallies may lead to up to 12 months. Commemorations are particularly awkward for Beijing this year, as the Communist Party celebrates its 100th anniversary. Asked whether a vigil would violate the security law, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said only that it was important to show respect to the Party. The museum reopened on Sunday after closing for renovations for several weeks. The Alliance's chairman Lee Cheuk-Yan is in jail accused of participating in an unauthorised assembly. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong's June 4th museum temporarily closes over licensing probe

London's oldest police station converted into museum-cum-hotel

Paris revamps museum showcasing royalty and revolutionaries

Touching artwork is strictly forbidden in most museums, let alone buying it and taking it home. But the Design Museum in London wants visitors to do precisely that.&nbsp;

It has transformed its gift shop to create what it describes as 'the world's first artist-designed supermarket' as a way of getting around coronavirus lockdown rules.&nbsp;

Under the government's plan to ease restrictions, museums in England have to remain shut until May 17 at the earliest, even as gyms, hairdressing salons and pubs have reopened.&nbsp;

But the west London museum has avoided weeks of further closure by converting its gift shop into a store selling essential items.&nbsp;

The products, ranging from rice and coffee to the most modern of essentials, face masks, are wrapped in packaging designed by 10 emerging artists.&nbsp;

Proceeds from the five-day exhibition, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday, with financial backing from gin company Bombay Sapphire, will go towards a fund for artists and designers.&nbsp;

Images of empty shelves and shortages of toilet paper and pasta at supermarkets marked the start of the pandemic in the UK last March.&nbsp;

But the Design Museum shop and its products are far from mundane: clean lines of brightly coloured jars and cans are neatly arranged on the shelves, with nothing out of place.&nbsp;

Museum director Tim Marlow said the exhibition called into question the nature of what is judged to be essential in everyday life.&nbsp;

So-called non-essential retail reopened in England on April 12. &nbsp;

"Isn't creativity essential? We're in a shop that's actually a work of art. From the street you see this flattened pattern or canvas, but once you're inside the experience is completely different," he told AFP.&nbsp;

"You can buy essential food items at competitive prices. It's about who profits, who funds, and exchange as much about culture.&nbsp;

"There's a fun element to it, there's a questioning and critical element and a culturally serious aspect to it.&nbsp;

"We're bemused by the fact that non-essential retail, gyms and hairdressers can open and museums will have to wait until the 17th (of May), but it is as it is."&nbsp;

The Design Museum lost 92 percent of its income due to forced closures but received a government grant of almost £3 million ($4.1 million, 3.4 million euros) last year to keep it afloat.&nbsp;

Touching artwork is strictly forbidden in most museums, let alone buying it and taking it home. But the Design Museum in London wants visitors to do precisely that.

Touching artwork is strictly forbidden in most museums, let alone buying it and taking it home. But the Design Museum in London wants visitors to do precisely that. It has transformed its gift shop to create what it describes as 'the world's first artist-designed supermarket' as a way of getting around coronavirus lockdown rules. Under the government's plan to ease restrictions, museums in England have to remain shut until May 17 at the earliest, even as gyms, hairdressing salons and pubs have reopened. But the west London museum has avoided weeks of further closure by converting its gift shop into a store selling essential items. The products, ranging from rice and coffee to the most modern of essentials, face masks, are wrapped in packaging designed by 10 emerging artists. Proceeds from the five-day exhibition, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday, with financial backing from gin company Bombay Sapphire, will go towards a fund for artists and designers. Images of empty shelves and shortages of toilet paper and pasta at supermarkets marked the start of the pandemic in the UK last March. But the Design Museum shop and its products are far from mundane: clean lines of brightly coloured jars and cans are neatly arranged on the shelves, with nothing out of place. Museum director Tim Marlow said the exhibition called into question the nature of what is judged to be essential in everyday life. So-called non-essential retail reopened in England on April 12. "Isn't creativity essential? We're in a shop that's actually a work of art. From the street you see this flattened pattern or canvas, but once you're inside the experience is completely different," he told AFP. "You can buy essential food items at competitive prices. It's about who profits, who funds, and exchange as much about culture. "There's a fun element to it, there's a questioning and critical element and a culturally serious aspect to it. "We're bemused by the fact that non-essential retail, gyms and hairdressers can open and museums will have to wait until the 17th (of May), but it is as it is." The Design Museum lost 92 percent of its income due to forced closures but received a government grant of almost £3 million ($4.1 million, 3.4 million euros) last year to keep it afloat.

Covid-hit UK museum reopens as a supermarket 

&nbsp;A wall of flower petals bursts into a thousand fragments. A huge ball levitates in the air, turning from red to blue to purple. Hundreds of butterflies dart around a screen of tiny water particles. 
 
This is not a modern art museum, but the latest creation of Japan`s teamLab collective of engineers, artists and architects, anchored around a maze of seven saunas lit up in hues of red, green and yellow. 
 
The Tokyo-based digital art group took over an empty lot in the city`s glitzy Roppongi district and over the last year erected a gigantic tent housing the sauna rooms and three immersive art installations. 
 
"Art is traditionally exhibited in luxurious places like palaces or museums - we wanted to create a luxurious state of mind for people to experience it," said Takashi Kudo, a teamLab lab member at a demonstration on Saturday. 
 
"TikTok teamLab Reconnect" opens runs March 22 until the end of August. For $44 on weekdays and $53 on weekends, visitors can dip in and out of the hot rooms and cold showers, and walk inside the artworks sporting only swimming suits. 
 
The coronavirus means seating in the biggest saunas was cut from 24 to 12 and ventilation was adjusted to meet government standards for air circulation. 
 
Kudo stood under dozens of large, hand-blown glass lamps from Italy. The lamps slowly changed colours from burnt orange to magenta, illuminating dark corridors separating the rooms. 
 
The team said it wanted to affect all senses, including touch, sound and smell. Aromas such as roasted green tea waft through one of the saunas, and white birch in another. 
 
"Nobody goes to an art museum in this fashion because art is art and sauna is sauna," said Kudo, pointing to his swimming trunks. "What we wanted to try is to combine and offer a very different experience - and a very different experience of this art." 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

A wall of flower petals bursts into a thousand fragments. A huge ball levitates in the air, turning from red to blue to purple. Hundreds of butterflies dart around a screen of tiny water particles.

A wall of flower petals bursts into a thousand fragments. A huge ball levitates in the air, turning from red to blue to purple. Hundreds of butterflies dart around a screen of tiny water particles. This is not a modern art museum, but the latest creation of Japan`s teamLab collective of engineers, artists and architects, anchored around a maze of seven saunas lit up in hues of red, green and yellow. The Tokyo-based digital art group took over an empty lot in the city`s glitzy Roppongi district and over the last year erected a gigantic tent housing the sauna rooms and three immersive art installations. "Art is traditionally exhibited in luxurious places like palaces or museums - we wanted to create a luxurious state of mind for people to experience it," said Takashi Kudo, a teamLab lab member at a demonstration on Saturday. "TikTok teamLab Reconnect" opens runs March 22 until the end of August. For $44 on weekdays and $53 on weekends, visitors can dip in and out of the hot rooms and cold showers, and walk inside the artworks sporting only swimming suits. The coronavirus means seating in the biggest saunas was cut from 24 to 12 and ventilation was adjusted to meet government standards for air circulation. Kudo stood under dozens of large, hand-blown glass lamps from Italy. The lamps slowly changed colours from burnt orange to magenta, illuminating dark corridors separating the rooms. The team said it wanted to affect all senses, including touch, sound and smell. Aromas such as roasted green tea waft through one of the saunas, and white birch in another. "Nobody goes to an art museum in this fashion because art is art and sauna is sauna," said Kudo, pointing to his swimming trunks. "What we wanted to try is to combine and offer a very different experience - and a very different experience of this art."

Japan's teamLab melds museum and sauna in fresh digital art experience

Take a guided tour of Elvis Presley's home from your sofa or marvel at old masters' paintings in The Met without visiting New York: museums, forced to adapt by the pandemic, are now offering paid virtual tours -- but how big a source of income will they become?

Interactive walks, video games and podcasts are some of the numerous free innovations museums have launched to try to mitigate the effects of closures and a slump in visitors caused by coronavirus. But more and more institutions are now pushing paid options also.

Presley's home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, has been offering two-hour-long tours by guide Angie Marchese for $100 a head since January.

Some 300 people, the maximum capacity, signed up for each of the first two virtual tours in which they hear anecdotes about Presley, see objects he owned and can ask questions about his life.

In December, Barbara Brown-Abolafia took her students from Bergen Community College in New Jersey on a virtual trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the exhibition "A New Look at Old Masters."

Unlike at Graceland, an expert guide did not roam the room, with the Met saying it was constrained by health measures linked to Covid-19.

"It was a slide-show format, so it felt more like a class," recalled Brown-Abolafia.

But the quality of the presentation and its interactive nature with a live chat for questions made up for it, according to the English teacher, who grew up in New York and has visited the museum in person several times.

"Does it compare to being inside the Met? Of course not. But it was mentally stimulating," she said.

Before the virtual visit, Brown-Abolafia had explained the profile of her pupils to the expert.

"She accommodated us by not going over their heads, but not making it too simplified.&nbsp;

"In fact, it was so interesting that it went over an hour by about 20 minutes," said Brown-Abolafia.

The Met began the tours in June. Between July and December the famous museum held 116 virtual tours, for over 2,800 adult visitors in total.

They cost $300 per group of up to 40 adults, or $200 for a group of students.

The Met also hosted nearly 4,000 schoolchildren, including foreign students, via computer screens between July and December, with demand growing, according to the institution.

The Met said it was also committed to continuing the other free programs it runs.

Other New York museums, including the Guggenheim, the Frick Collection and the 9/11 Memorial are all offering paid virtual tours.

- 'Niche' - 
The Louvre in Paris, the most visited museum in the world, has not offered the same but is considering it, a spokesperson said.

Video tours on services like Zoom and Teams are becoming commonplace during the pandemic, according to Michael Burns of Quatrefoil Associates, a firm that specializes in laying out exhibitions.

"The idea that they can somehow have an experience that is more unique to them because it's private, I think there'll be people willing to pay for that," he told AFP.

He says that while nothing beats being physically in the same room as the artwork, the pandemic has "opened up a new niche" of private virtual tours.

In an increasingly globalized world, where demand for culture continues to grow, the potential for paying to experience famous works remotely is substantial, experts say.

"Onsite tours will always be the core component of our offerings," said Debbie Miller, chief marketing officer for Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages Graceland.

Yet "we recognize there are many people who are unable to travel to Memphis so the ability to bring Graceland to them virtually, while earning some additional revenue, is a win-win," she added.

Take a guided tour of Elvis Presley's home from your sofa or marvel at old masters' paintings in The Met without visiting New York: museums, forced to adapt by the pandemic, are now offering paid virtual tours -- but how big a source of income will they become?

Take a guided tour of Elvis Presley's home from your sofa or marvel at old masters' paintings in The Met without visiting New York: museums, forced to adapt by the pandemic, are now offering paid virtual tours -- but how big a source of income will they become? Interactive walks, video games and podcasts are some of the numerous free innovations museums have launched to try to mitigate the effects of closures and a slump in visitors caused by coronavirus. But more and more institutions are now pushing paid options also. Presley's home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, has been offering two-hour-long tours by guide Angie Marchese for $100 a head since January. Some 300 people, the maximum capacity, signed up for each of the first two virtual tours in which they hear anecdotes about Presley, see objects he owned and can ask questions about his life. In December, Barbara Brown-Abolafia took her students from Bergen Community College in New Jersey on a virtual trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the exhibition "A New Look at Old Masters." Unlike at Graceland, an expert guide did not roam the room, with the Met saying it was constrained by health measures linked to Covid-19. "It was a slide-show format, so it felt more like a class," recalled Brown-Abolafia. But the quality of the presentation and its interactive nature with a live chat for questions made up for it, according to the English teacher, who grew up in New York and has visited the museum in person several times. "Does it compare to being inside the Met? Of course not. But it was mentally stimulating," she said. Before the virtual visit, Brown-Abolafia had explained the profile of her pupils to the expert. "She accommodated us by not going over their heads, but not making it too simplified. "In fact, it was so interesting that it went over an hour by about 20 minutes," said Brown-Abolafia. The Met began the tours in June. Between July and December the famous museum held 116 virtual tours, for over 2,800 adult visitors in total. They cost $300 per group of up to 40 adults, or $200 for a group of students. The Met also hosted nearly 4,000 schoolchildren, including foreign students, via computer screens between July and December, with demand growing, according to the institution. The Met said it was also committed to continuing the other free programs it runs. Other New York museums, including the Guggenheim, the Frick Collection and the 9/11 Memorial are all offering paid virtual tours. - 'Niche' - The Louvre in Paris, the most visited museum in the world, has not offered the same but is considering it, a spokesperson said. Video tours on services like Zoom and Teams are becoming commonplace during the pandemic, according to Michael Burns of Quatrefoil Associates, a firm that specializes in laying out exhibitions. "The idea that they can somehow have an experience that is more unique to them because it's private, I think there'll be people willing to pay for that," he told AFP. He says that while nothing beats being physically in the same room as the artwork, the pandemic has "opened up a new niche" of private virtual tours. In an increasingly globalized world, where demand for culture continues to grow, the potential for paying to experience famous works remotely is substantial, experts say. "Onsite tours will always be the core component of our offerings," said Debbie Miller, chief marketing officer for Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages Graceland. Yet "we recognize there are many people who are unable to travel to Memphis so the ability to bring Graceland to them virtually, while earning some additional revenue, is a win-win," she added.

Museums bet on paid virtual tours during pandemic but will they catch on?

The year 2020 has been a year a lot of firsts, some being funny and some sad. However, a first by a French&nbsp;philanthropist has left everyone in shock and awe.

A French man has left a portion of his will to his little furry friends who live in the basement of the&nbsp;State Hermitage Museum, which is home to nearly 50 cats who reside in the basement of the building since years.

The museum,&nbsp;St. Petersburg museum, is known to house nearly three million art pieces by masters, sculptures and artefacts. The cats started living in the museum when the building was owned by the&nbsp;Empress Elizabeth.

Main reason behind letting the cats stay in the building was to keep away&nbsp;rodents from the masterpieces. However, slowly the cats made the museum their home and have stayed there in the basement ever since.

These cats are now looked after by volunteers working at the museum and enjoy separate washing machines, visits from a local veterinarian and more such luxuries through donations made by locals.

Now, a French man has left a portion of his will to these cats.&nbsp;The museum's general director, Mikhail Piotrovsky, said, "Our French friend did a very good thing; this is brilliant PR for both the cats and charity. The sum is not very big but it's very important when the person writes a will, when the French lawyers contact (us) and it's all not a simple (process) but this is all very interesting, isn't it?"

Calling it a nice gesture from the French man, he added, "I think the cats will express their will -- our colleagues are well-versed in communicating with them and understanding their language."

He also reported that the Fench man was not the only admirer or the cats.&nbsp;The former president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Fortov, was a "constant friend" of these museum cats.

The year 2020 has been a year a lot of firsts, some being funny and some sad. However, a first by a French philanthropist has left everyone in shock and awe. A French man has left a portion of his will to his little furry friends who live in the basement of the State Hermitage Museum, which is home to nearly 50 cats who reside in the basement of the building since years.

The year 2020 has been a year a lot of firsts, some being funny and some sad. However, a first by a French philanthropist has left everyone in shock and awe. A French man has left a portion of his will to his little furry friends who live in the basement of the State Hermitage Museum, which is home to nearly 50 cats who reside in the basement of the building since years. The museum, St. Petersburg museum, is known to house nearly three million art pieces by masters, sculptures and artefacts. The cats started living in the museum when the building was owned by the Empress Elizabeth. Main reason behind letting the cats stay in the building was to keep away rodents from the masterpieces. However, slowly the cats made the museum their home and have stayed there in the basement ever since. These cats are now looked after by volunteers working at the museum and enjoy separate washing machines, visits from a local veterinarian and more such luxuries through donations made by locals. Now, a French man has left a portion of his will to these cats. The museum's general director, Mikhail Piotrovsky, said, "Our French friend did a very good thing; this is brilliant PR for both the cats and charity. The sum is not very big but it's very important when the person writes a will, when the French lawyers contact (us) and it's all not a simple (process) but this is all very interesting, isn't it?" Calling it a nice gesture from the French man, he added, "I think the cats will express their will -- our colleagues are well-versed in communicating with them and understanding their language." He also reported that the Fench man was not the only admirer or the cats. The former president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Fortov, was a "constant friend" of these museum cats.

Mewseum gift: French man leaves portion of will to basement cats

This hands-on, interactive children's museum in Mexico City is re-adjusting to life under the pandemic, reopening its doors on Friday (September 18) but with strict social distancing norms in place.

Mexico City's hands-on kids museum re-opens

For Jordanian calligrapher, Hassan Abu Nemeh, walking through the streets of Amman evokes a sense of sadness and nostalgia. The artist, used to admiring old hand-painted signs adorning shops in the city, said while modern signs are more practical, they aren't as beautiful as the classical ones.

Museum preserves old hand-painted signs in Jordan

London's Natural History Museum is dusting off the blue whale that soars above its central hall, along with its dinosaur skeletons and thousands of other exhibits in preparation for re-opening next month after COVID-19 forced its closure in March.

UK's National History Museum gets ready to reopen

Sri Lanka opened its first underwater museum in the southern port city of Galle on Wednesday (June 17) ahead of plans to start re-opening the country to tourism on August 1.

Sri Lanka opens underwater museum to encourage tourists to dive back in

Paleontologists from the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences said on Monday (May 18) they found the 70-million-year-old remains of a megaraptor, making it one of the last carnivorous dinosaurs to inhabit the earth.

Fossil of one of the last megaraptors on the planet found in Argentina

Museums in Spanish city of Valencia opened for the first time on Monday (May 18) on International Museum Day as the region entered in 'Phase 1' of the de-escalation plan over the coronavirus emergency.

Art and culture returned to Spaniards on International Museum Day

As the world observes the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day on 18 April, we bring you top 5 breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are worth visiting.

Top 5 World Heritage Sites to Visit

After nearly 50 years of hip-hop, the unique art form is getting a museum in its birthplace of the Bronx, New York.

'Sacrilegious to have it anywhere else' - hip hop museum opens in the Bronx

Museum has over 4000 precious objects. To know more watch the video.

Great museum heist in Germany

Watch in WION Dispatch: Great museum heist in Germany. Watch this video as Ira Spitzer, WION's Correspondent from Berlin tells you more on this. #WIONDispatch

WION Dispatch: Great museum heist in Germany

Like assembling a 1,500-year-old jigsaw puzzle, conservators at the National Museum of Afghanistan are restoring the country's Buddhist history that the Taliban tried to erase.

Afghan museum recreates Buddhist history, one broken piece at a time

The city of Paris has unveiled a new museum dedicated to the city's liberation from Nazi rule in the Second World War. The Museum of the Liberation of Paris will open to the public on Sunday (August 25), the same day when Paris marks 75 years since the defeat of the Nazis in the French capital.

New museum to open in Paris to mark 75 years after liberation from Nazi rule

A partition museum in India's northern Amritsar city of Punjab, organised a special program dedicated to the Sindhi Hindu community that came from Pakistan to India during the partition of 1947.

Sindhi Hindu community remembers homeland on partition remembrance day in India

A new museum opening at the Statue of Liberty is giving visitors another opportunity to explore its history and the impact the iconic structure has had on the world.

New Statue of Liberty Museum set to open

Brazil's national museum said on Tuesday that it has recovered 200 pieces from its Egypt collection after a devastating fire eight months ago.

Brazil museum recovers 200 Egypt pieces after fire

Pope Francis said on Tuesday the Catholic Church had to acknowledge a history of male domination and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036">sexual abuse of women</a> and children and repair its reputation among young people or risk becoming "a museum".

But, in a major document in which he mentioned an array of scandals and again admitted significant failings by clergy, he also said the Church "could not agree with everything some feminist groups propose," a clear reference to the Church's ban on a female priesthood.

The pope is grappling with criticism over the Church's response to a decades-long clerical sexual abuse crisis that has gravely damaged its standing around the globe and seen it pay out billions of dollars in compensation.

Francis made his comment in a 50-page "Apostolic Exhortation" about a month-long meeting of bishops in October on the role of young people in the 1.3 billion-member Church.

Francis, 82, urged young people not to be disillusioned by the sexual abuse scandal, but to work with the overwhelming majority of priests and other clergy faithful to their vocation.

He said clergy sexual abuse was "a tragedy" and asked young people to help the Church in "this dark moment".

"A living Church can look back on history and acknowledge a fair share of male authoritarianism, domination, various forms of enslavement, abuse and sexist violence," the pontiff said.

"With this outlook, she can support the call to respect women's rights, and offer convinced support for greater reciprocity between males and females, while not agreeing with everything some feminist groups propose," he said.

Some women's groups seek a female priesthood. The Church has ruled this out, arguing Jesus chose only men as his apostles.

This month the all-female staff of the Vatican newspaper's monthly magazine on women's issues resigned, saying a new editor sought to put them "under direct male control". [uL8N21D34Q]

Recent stories in the magazine include one on sexual abuse of nuns by priests. The editor has denied their accusations.

WINNING BACK TRUST

Francis acknowledged the Church had to win back many young people who see it as insignificant in their lives or a nuisance.

He said such a view of the Church can "have serious and understandable reasons: sexual and financial scandals; a clergy ill-prepared to engage effectively with the sensitivities of the young."

The Church had to keep and attract young people by better explaining its doctrine, he said.

"A Church always on the defensive, which loses her humility and stops listening to others, which leaves no room for questions, loses her youth and turns into a museum," he said.

The pope did not mention demands by women participants at the synod that they be allowed to vote in future synods.

But while he said the Church should be "attentive to the legitimate claims of those women who seek greater justice and equality" and that young people had complained of a "lack of leading female role models," he offered no new ideas. Only a handful of women hold positions of authority in the Vatican.

The pope did not expand on homosexuality, saying only that the synod discussed it.

Pope Francis said on Tuesday the Catholic Church had to acknowledge a history of male domination and sexual abuse of women and children and repair its reputation among young people or risk becoming "a museum".

Pope Francis said on Tuesday the Catholic Church had to acknowledge a history of male domination and sexual abuse of women and children and repair its reputation among young people or risk becoming "a museum". But, in a major document in which he mentioned an array of scandals and again admitted significant failings by clergy, he also said the Church "could not agree with everything some feminist groups propose," a clear reference to the Church's ban on a female priesthood. The pope is grappling with criticism over the Church's response to a decades-long clerical sexual abuse crisis that has gravely damaged its standing around the globe and seen it pay out billions of dollars in compensation. Francis made his comment in a 50-page "Apostolic Exhortation" about a month-long meeting of bishops in October on the role of young people in the 1.3 billion-member Church. Francis, 82, urged young people not to be disillusioned by the sexual abuse scandal, but to work with the overwhelming majority of priests and other clergy faithful to their vocation. He said clergy sexual abuse was "a tragedy" and asked young people to help the Church in "this dark moment". "A living Church can look back on history and acknowledge a fair share of male authoritarianism, domination, various forms of enslavement, abuse and sexist violence," the pontiff said. "With this outlook, she can support the call to respect women's rights, and offer convinced support for greater reciprocity between males and females, while not agreeing with everything some feminist groups propose," he said. Some women's groups seek a female priesthood. The Church has ruled this out, arguing Jesus chose only men as his apostles. This month the all-female staff of the Vatican newspaper's monthly magazine on women's issues resigned, saying a new editor sought to put them "under direct male control". [uL8N21D34Q] Recent stories in the magazine include one on sexual abuse of nuns by priests. The editor has denied their accusations. WINNING BACK TRUST Francis acknowledged the Church had to win back many young people who see it as insignificant in their lives or a nuisance. He said such a view of the Church can "have serious and understandable reasons: sexual and financial scandals; a clergy ill-prepared to engage effectively with the sensitivities of the young." The Church had to keep and attract young people by better explaining its doctrine, he said. "A Church always on the defensive, which loses her humility and stops listening to others, which leaves no room for questions, loses her youth and turns into a museum," he said. The pope did not mention demands by women participants at the synod that they be allowed to vote in future synods. But while he said the Church should be "attentive to the legitimate claims of those women who seek greater justice and equality" and that young people had complained of a "lack of leading female role models," he offered no new ideas. Only a handful of women hold positions of authority in the Vatican. The pope did not expand on homosexuality, saying only that the synod discussed it.

Church should admit history of abuse of women, male domination: Pope Francis

In pics: Syrian children in focus at Sarajevo museum on war and childhood

It may not put a meal on the table for furloughed federal employees, but some US museums and symphonies are supplying food for the mind in free admission for workers affected by the longest partial federal <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-make-major-announcement-saturday-on-shutdown-donald-trump-191318">government shutdown in US history</a>.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-shutdown-could-stunt-economic-growth-new-york-federal-reserve-chief-191315">With the shutdown in its fourth week</a> with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music.

Museums in at least 27 states, along with at least 19 orchestras, offered free admission to federal workers who have unpaid time on their hands. Institutions range from The Metropolitan Opera in New York to the San Diego Air &amp; Space Museum, home of the Apollo IX Command Module, which helped pave the way for a man to walk on the Moon.

Nearly 200 furloughed employees have taken advantage of an offer from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which waived its admission fee for each furloughed worker plus one guest, said museum spokesman Norman Keyes. Fine art highlights at the museum, whose front steps were made famous in the "Rocky" movie series, include Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and an array of Rubens and Renoirs.

"Museums can offer a place both to get away from the fray and to recharge, and to gain perspective," Keyes said. "It will not solve the shutdown crisis, but it can help build positive experiences during a difficult time."

Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has also waived admission fees for each furloughed worker plus two guests for the duration of the shutdown. Star attractions include a German U-Boat submarine seized in 1944, the only one captured during World War II. It is the length of a city block, the museum boasts on its website.

Symphonies from Boston to Akron, Ohio, offered no-cost concert tickets to ease the stress of wondering when your next paycheck will be issued.

"Great music has the power to inspire, reduce stress and ease burdens," said Joseph Giunta, who conducts the Des Moines Symphony.

"We invite federal employees to join us as our guests for an upcoming Masterworks concert," said Giunta, noting each worker was offered two tickets which otherwise sell for $20 apiece or more.

Much of the federal workforce lives in or around Washington, DC, but these people may be out of luck. That is because premiere cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian's museums, galleries, and zoo, which are always free to the public, remain closed to all for the remainder of the shutdown.

With the shutdown in its fourth week with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music.

It may not put a meal on the table for furloughed federal employees, but some US museums and symphonies are supplying food for the mind in free admission for workers affected by the longest partial federal government shutdown in US history. With the shutdown in its fourth week with no end in sight, cultural institutions from Massachusetts to Oregon are moving to help unpaid federal workers spend some of their otherwise idle hours with loved ones enjoying art, science history or music. Museums in at least 27 states, along with at least 19 orchestras, offered free admission to federal workers who have unpaid time on their hands. Institutions range from The Metropolitan Opera in New York to the San Diego Air & Space Museum, home of the Apollo IX Command Module, which helped pave the way for a man to walk on the Moon. Nearly 200 furloughed employees have taken advantage of an offer from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which waived its admission fee for each furloughed worker plus one guest, said museum spokesman Norman Keyes. Fine art highlights at the museum, whose front steps were made famous in the "Rocky" movie series, include Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" and an array of Rubens and Renoirs. "Museums can offer a place both to get away from the fray and to recharge, and to gain perspective," Keyes said. "It will not solve the shutdown crisis, but it can help build positive experiences during a difficult time." Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has also waived admission fees for each furloughed worker plus two guests for the duration of the shutdown. Star attractions include a German U-Boat submarine seized in 1944, the only one captured during World War II. It is the length of a city block, the museum boasts on its website. Symphonies from Boston to Akron, Ohio, offered no-cost concert tickets to ease the stress of wondering when your next paycheck will be issued. "Great music has the power to inspire, reduce stress and ease burdens," said Joseph Giunta, who conducts the Des Moines Symphony. "We invite federal employees to join us as our guests for an upcoming Masterworks concert," said Giunta, noting each worker was offered two tickets which otherwise sell for $20 apiece or more. Much of the federal workforce lives in or around Washington, DC, but these people may be out of luck. That is because premiere cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian's museums, galleries, and zoo, which are always free to the public, remain closed to all for the remainder of the shutdown.

Shutdown sojourn: Free museums, music for furloughed US workers

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