The Palestinian Museum delivered a specialised course in historic textile conservation from 25 January to 17 February 2026, with support from the Violet Jabara Charitable Trust. Guided by Salma Abu Mariam, Coordinator of the Museum’s Collections Unit, the course brought together a group of participants working in heritage preservation or otherwise engaged with the field. Over ten sessions, it introduced them to core textile conservation practices, including cleaning, stabilisation, support techniques, safe storage, and rehousing, alongside hands-on engagement with conservation materials and tools.
Representatives from Inash Al-Usra Association, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Amr Arafat Foundation, and Sunbula took part in the course. By conserving two traditional Palestinian thobes in a moderate state of preservation, participants applied the techniques introduced during the training and developed a practical grounding in the care of historic textiles, guided by sound conservation principles and professional standards. The course also foregrounded textile heritage preservation, with particular attention to traditional Palestinian dress as an integral part of Palestinian cultural memory.
The course carries forward the Palestinian Museum’s national emergency initiative to safeguard cultural heritage, helping develop local conservation expertise and form the nucleus of a network of qualified Palestinian heritage professionals able to respond in times of crisis and contribute to the long-term protection of endangered Palestinian heritage.
