Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh during a tour of heritage sites in Saida, on Jan. 21, 2026. (Credit: National News Agency)
Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh toured heritage sites in the coastal city of Saida (southern Lebanon) on Wednesday, including its archaeological museum, where work is ongoing, and an opening is planned "by the end of the year," even though construction is expected to continue for several more years.
From the Saida Citadel, Salameh described it as an "open-air museum," but stressed that the city "needs a real museum."
With this in mind, the minister visited the city's archaeological museum to check on the progress of work, some of which is complete and some ongoing, with the project set to stretch into the coming years.
"Work had been interrupted, but thanks to our efforts, it resumed at the beginning of this year to build at least an additional section that will allow it to open as soon as possible," he said.
The minister assured that "the necessary funds are available to open the museum by the end of the year," while noting that finishing the remainder of the project will "require an effort spanning many years."
He explained, "Whether it’s the mosaic workshop or the excavations, this work will extend over several years."
Excavations currently being conducted by the British Museum are expected to finish within a year, while additional campaigns are already planned for future phases.
Addressing the financial aspect, Salameh stated that "half of the funds allocated for the project have already been spent," adding that about seven million dollars still need to be raised.
This funding is expected from Kuwait, whose donors financed the project's first phase. "We are awaiting their continued support," he said.
Salameh also emphasized that "a part of the museum could be completed to allow activities to begin inside," affirming that current resources are sufficient to make this possible.
Saida, which was hard hit by the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, was designated in November 2025 alongside the Spanish city of Córdoba as the two Mediterranean capitals of culture and dialogue for the year 2027 — a decision approved by foreign ministers of the 43 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).
