Iraqi national museum re-opens

iraqi national museum: An Akkadian stone sculpture at the Iraqi National Museum

23 February 2009: A stone sculpture with relief carving dating back to the end of the Akkadian period is displayed at the Iraqi National Museum Photograph: Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters

iraqi national museum: Iraqis visit the restored Iraqi National Museum on the day it was re-opened

Iraqis visit the restored Iraqi National Museum on the day it was formally dedicated Photograph: Khalid Mohammed/AP

Baghdad museum : A US tank in front of Iraqi national museum in April 2003

April 2003: An American tank is parked in Mat Haf Square, in front of the museum. The entrance was slightly damaged following a hit by a tank shell Photograph: Patrick Robert/Corbis

Baghdad museum : u.s. tank takes up position in iraqi museum in 2003

April 16 2003: US tank takes up position in the museum Photograph: Reuters

Baghdad museum : Civilians inspect Torah scrolls in the vault of the Iraq National Museum

12 April 2003: Civilians inspect Torah scrolls stored in the vault of the museum. Looters opened the vault and went on a rampage, breaking ancient artifacts stored there by authorities before the war started Photograph: Jerome Delay/AP

Baghdad museum : Baghdad Fighting Continues

13 April 2003: Mushin Hasan, deputy director of the Iraqi National Museum, holds his head in his hands as he sits among destroyed artifacts Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Baghdad museum : a beheaded sculpture inIraq's national museum

13 April 2003: Parts of a beheaded sculpture lie among rubble after a mob of looters ransacked the museum Photograph: PATRICK BAZ/AFP/Getty Images

Baghdad museum : Muhsin Hasan sits down beside a destroyed sculpture at the Iraqi Museum

April 13 2003: Muhsin Hasan, deputy director of the Iraqi National Museum, sits down beside a destroyed sculpture at the museum Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Baghdad museum : ablets and other stolen antiquities that were returned to the Iraqi Museum

29 April 2003: Tablets and other stolen antiquities that were returned are displayed at the museum. After severe looting during the war, some missing items are being recovered by coalition forces Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty

Baghdad museum : looted treasures from Iraqi museum in 2003

May 2003: One of the earliest known Sumerian free-standing statues is shown to the press during a presentation by US Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, lead investigator in finding looted treasures taken from the museum Photograph: Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images

Baghdad museum : a soldier walks in front of a gold crown of Nimrud gold in Baghdad museum

3 July 2003: A US soldier walks in front of an ancient gold crown from the collection of Nimrud gold Photograph: Scott Peterson/Getty Images

Baghdad museum : US soldiers pose in Baghdad museum

10 September 2003: US soldiers pose for photographs with Assyrian reliefs Photograph: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

September 2003: The Warka Mask, a Sumerian artifact from 3100 BC, which was looted from the museum in the final days of Saddam Hussein's regime, was returned by Iraqi police. Iraqi police, supported by US military police, recovered the limestone sculpture of a woman's head outside of Baghdad and is considered one of the most important looted pieces returned so far Photograph: Samir Mezban/AP

Baghdad museum : The Bassetki Statue, (around 2300 B.C.) is on display in Baghdad's Museum

2003: The Bassetki Statue, (around 2300 BC) is on display after it was returned to the museum after being looted Photograph: Anja Niedringhaus/AP

Baghdad museum : The broken head of an Assyrian lion in BAghdad museum

13 March 2004: The broken head of an Assyrian era (1894-1881 BC) lion which was damaged during the looting of the museum Photograph: Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images