Cyprus’ Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou has that the new Cyprus Archaeological Museum under construction in Nicosia will be one of the largest cultural projects ever undertaken in the country.
Kassianidou said the project includes not only the museum building but also extensive landscaping of the surrounding area, which will be delivered as a public park for Nicosia residents.
She said the new museum is designed to give Cypriot antiquities “the prominence they deserve,” adding that the government expects it to become a major cultural attraction comparable to leading regional museums.
Asked about the future of the existing Cyprus Museum, Kassianidou said the historic building will be preserved as a listed monument and used to display collections from later historical periods that will not be included in the new museum.
The new institution will focus on material from prehistory through the Roman era.
The deputy minister toured the construction site last week with members of parliament’s development‑oversight committee, senior officials from the Culture Ministry, the Antiquities Department and the Public Works Department.