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Tucked away in the picturesque and historically rich town square of Mtein, the local museum is eagerly reopening its doors, anticipating the delight of enthusiastic visitors and tourists seeking cultural gems beyond the capital’s confines. An engaging conversation with Rita Baroud Nassif, the project coordinator, sheds light on the museum’s history and its upcoming plans.
The Mtein Museum, established back in 2013, is the brainchild of the Cultural Committee of the Municipal Council. The herculean task of assembling the collection was carried out by two stalwarts: Naim Baroud and Joseph Abou Rizk. The museum was ceremoniously inaugurated in August 2013, featuring an initial lineup of 57 masterpieces.
The museum’s collection is a veritable cornucopia of Lebanese artistic brilliance. Currently, it boasts 107 pieces, encompassing canvases and sculptures, donated by the artists themselves, with the works now forming part of the museum’s property. The assemblage is refreshingly eclectic, comprising an array of styles and mediums.
In light of the crises that unfolded over the past three years, the museum’s activities remained largely dormant. While it remained open, the museum fell short of witnessing any significant changes. A decade on, there was a profound desire to breathe new life into it, to curate a fresh selection of exhibits and modernize their presentation. Consequently, “we are proudly inaugurating a spruced up, contemporized museum,” the coordinator told This is Beirut.
As for our short-term projects, “we are enthusiastic about expanding the museum’s repertoire by incorporating fresh works from various artists. Moreover, we aim to host annual temporary exhibitions for other creators. Our fervent hope is for this museum to morph into a necessary cultural interlude for anyone passing through Mtein, a village that stands out as one of Lebanon’s most enchanting, rich in cultural wealth and treasures,” she went on to say.
Practical Details: The museum welcomes visitors every Saturday and Sunday, operating from 10 am to 6 pm, from May through October. For weekdays, appointments can be made in advance. Further details can be found on our Instagram page.
