On the 15th of June, the Museum of the Palestinian People opened its doors in Washington, DC. It’s the first Palestinian Museum in the city and is dedicated to telling the stories of the people of Palestine, exhibiting their artwork and historical and cultural documentation through contributions worldwide. “It’s a museum where people get introduced to the Palestinian story and Palestinians as a people, not as a news item,” says Nassar Farsakh, chairman of the museum.
“When I came to DC in 2011, I was really amazed by the museums and monuments and memorials in the city, and at the same time, I was lost because I couldn’t find a place where the Palestinian story has been told,” Nassar said.
In 2014, he came up with the idea for a Palestinian museum which then developed into a travelling show. He eventually spent several years working to achieve his ultimate vision of a museum, rather than simply an exhibition. But alongside other struggles any start-up faces, he also encountered collective resistance to the idea. “Many people said, ‘No, this is not going to happen,’” he says.