Overview
The Manuscript and Rare Book Museum is one
of the academic institutions affiliated to the BA. Soon after he
assumed his responsibilities as the Librarian of Alexandria, Dr
Ismail Serageldin started to set organizational plans for the Manuscript
Museum within the arrangements of the inauguration of the BA; prepare
exhibits and show cases; select a collection of rare manuscripts,
books and personal effects of great writers. Being the Director
of Manuscripts and the person responsible for heritage departments
in the BA, Dr Youssef Ziedan undertook the realization of the set
plans. In the year preceding the inauguration, Dr Ziedan worked
on training the museum’ staff on guided tours to the visitors.
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Manuscript Museum Showroom |
The Manuscript Museum is located in the heart
of the Library, occupying the space of 344m2. It comprises 12 display
cases, donated by Italy within the framework of the cooperation
agreements between Italy and Egypt, in addition to 16 Egyptian-made
display cases. Around 120 manuscripts and rare books are displayed
in these cases. Two pieces of the kiswa (decorative black brocade
cover, embroidered in gold with Quranic verses) of the Holy Kaaba
adorn the walls above the Islamic manuscripts. The Kiswa pieces
are a precious donation made by the grandchildren of the leading
Egyptian econoist, Talaat Harb. They were presented to Tala’at Harb.
They were presented to Tala’at Harb by H.M. King Abdul-Aziz Al-Sa’ud
of Saudi Arabia in 1936 , in recognition of the pioneering economic
projects which he had initiated in Saudi Arabia. They remained in
the Talaat Harb family cemetery (near al-Muqattam hills in Cairo)
until his grandchildren decided to donate them to the BA before
the inauguration. The presentation took place on 10 September 2002.
The displayed items are provided with brief descriptions
in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Greek.
A team of 7 employees is assigned to make guided tours in the Museum
with ample explanation of the displayed items in seven different
languages.
On the other hand, visitors can review the electronic
publications of the Manuscript Center, which were prepared using
state-of-the-art digital technology, such as the Virtual Reality
Browser that runs on touch-screen computers. This program enables
the user to thoroughly review a given manuscript, browse its different
pages, magnify the desired part, and listen to related commentary
and explanation. The first collection of the Digital Manuscript
Library- a project adopted by the Manuscript Center- is available
for public display on four sets of the Virtual Reality Browser.
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the only surviving vestige
from the ancient Library of Alexandria |
Moreover, the only surviving vestige from the
ancient Library of Alexandria is currently displayed in the Manuscript
Museum; a digital copy of the papyrus held at the National Austrian
Library Vienna, is available on a special browser, prepared by the
Manuscript Center, which has recently executed a facsimile of it.
It comprises texts written in old Greek.
Each year, the Manuscript and Rare Book Museum will
be refurbished, providing for new methods of display as well as
giving exposure to as many rare manuscripts and books as possible.
As the Museum develops yearly, its plans and contents will be registered
by means of the Virtual Visit CD. The progress and development of
the Museum enables the visitor to see the treasures of the manuscripts
and rare books in their different topics and subjects and marvel
at the special treasures room housing the oldest, book and manuscript
held by the BA. The visitor will also gain an insight into other
invaluable objects review interaction between old and new, cultural
heritage and the modern digital age with a view of the latest publications,
catalogs and virtual programs developed by the Manuscript Center
which shedding new light to words expressed sometimes more than
1000 years ago. |
