Syria | September 2026
Across Syria, cultural spaces are beginning to welcome audiences again.
In 2026, theatres, museums, galleries and cultural centres in cities including Damascus, Homs, Idlib and Azaz have been reopening, restoring historic buildings and bringing exhibitions, performances, concerts and public programmes back into spaces that had been closed, damaged or disrupted for years.
The movement is visible in different forms. Some venues have already reopened, while others are still undergoing restoration or preparing for a new chapter.
A theatre returns to Damascus
One of the latest reopenings is Al Hamra Theatre in Damascus, which returned to audiences in September following almost nine months of rehabilitation.
Originally opened in 1960 as part of the development of Syria’s National Theatre, the restoration included its auditorium, seating, offices, backstage areas and storage spaces. Original theatre equipment, including a piano dating from 1960, was also recovered.
Its reopening has already brought performances back to the stage, including Children’s Theatre Days and the Arabic production Fella and the Seven Dwarfs.
Preserving Syria’s artistic memory
In central Damascus, another important space has recently reopened: the Fateh Moudarres Studio Gallery.
The former studio of the pioneering Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres was established in 1967 and became more than a workplace. It also served as a meeting place for artists, writers and intellectuals.
Following restoration work that included repairing damp walls while preserving Moudarres’s brushes, paints, tools, personal belongings and a large mural, the studio reopened in September.
Its first exhibition, Eleven Years, features the work of Syrian artist Khaled Al Attar, marking his return to exhibiting in Damascus after more than a decade abroad.
Museums waiting for their next chapter
The story is also unfolding in Syria’s museums.
In Idlib, the Maarat Al Numan Museum is undergoing restoration planning. Housed in a 16th-century Ottoman building, the museum is known for its important collection of Roman and Byzantine mosaics. The building sustained major damage during the war, while parts of its collection were also affected.
An engineering study is now being prepared to determine the cost of restoration. The museum’s surviving archaeological objects have been documented, wrapped and placed in storage until the building can be restored and a new exhibition plan developed.
Meanwhile, the Homs Museum began welcoming visitors again in August for the first time since activities stopped in 2011. Its Stone Sculpture Week presented archaeological works dating back as far as 3,000 to 4,000 years, although the museum’s full reopening still depends on further work, including exhibition cases, specialist lighting, environmental controls and trained staff.
From historic theatres to new cultural programmes
The reopening is not limited to major cities.
In Azaz, the Cultural Centre reopened in April with poetry events, public talks and visual-art exhibitions. In September, it hosted Tafasil, an exhibition featuring painting, portraiture and Arabic calligraphy by local artists. The centre also houses a library of more than 30,000 books and volumes.
In Talkalakh, the Arab Cultural Centre reopened in February after being closed for around a decade, returning to its original role as a venue for performances, film screenings and literary events.
And in Homs, the Historic Orthodox Theatre, whose history dates back to 1890, formally reopened in March after restoration work that began in 2022. Since then, it has hosted lectures, concerts and public cultural conversations.
Heritage, art and a city coming back to life
Perhaps one of the most visible examples is the Damascus Citadel.
The historic Ayyubid fortress complex reopened restored spaces including Tower Eight and the Syrian Heritage House earlier this year. The new cultural space introduces visitors to Syria’s tangible and intangible heritage through exhibitions, traditional crafts and other activities.
In August, the citadel also hosted the Summer of Syria Family Festival, bringing together concerts, puppet theatre, dance and an exhibition of 23 Syrian antiquities returned from France after nearly 15 years abroad.
Together, these projects tell a story that goes beyond restoring walls.
They are reopening places designed for people to gather — to see art, hear music, watch theatre, discover history and reconnect with cultural traditions.
In a country where many cultural spaces have spent years closed or damaged, the return of audiences may be just as significant as the restoration of the buildings themselves.
Syria’s cultural landscape is being reopened one space at a time.
