The archaeological museum is ready to welcome foreign visitors and offer access to locals. After five years under construction, the museum was inaugurated near the entrance of the archaeological park with a grant of more than $7 millions from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The new museum, designed by the Japanese architect Yamashita Sekkei, has 1.800 square meters of air-conditioned galleries that present almost 300 objects from the Department of Antiquities of Jordan.
Petra is recovering as a tourist destination after the sharp fall in numbers following the uprisings of the Arab Spring in 2011. The opening of the museum is very timely to welcome visitors, with a location that makes it a convenient first stop on their itineraries.