Palestinians May Not Have a Home, But Now They'll Have a Museum

The Palestinian people don't have an official homeland yet, despite decades of being displaced, but at least, as of this year, they will have their own museum. The Palestinian Museum, set to break ground in Birzeit outside of Ramallah, will be a "home of voices," with their purpose, they say, to "raise Palestine's voice high for all to hear."

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Designed by Irish Heneghan Peng Architects, the stunning structure, built from local limestone, will cascade down the hillside in Birzeit, mimicking the natural landscape. The $15 million budget, which will be paid for by the Geneva-based nonprofit Welfare Association, will be rolled out as construction continues through 2014.

Along with exhibitions exploring Palestinian identity, history and their cultural future, the museum will also nurture international partnerships with institutions, digital platforms, and areas around the world where Palestinians now live in an effort to "contribute to a new narrative of engagement, education, humanity and hope."

"Today, the idea of Palestine remains powerful, but its means of self-expression has often been suppressed," the museum's website states. So while Palestine as a place is still abstract, the concept of it is very much alive. And since art has the power to create dialogue and ultimately bring change, perhaps a museum for the Palestinian people will mean they are one step closer to a homeland.

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Images via Heneghan Peng Architects