RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian Museum became a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) on May 11, making it the first Palestinian establishment of its kind to join the council of more than 32,000 museums — a powerful show of support for the museum’s future activities.

The Palestinian Museum’s cornerstone was laid April 11, 2013, funded by the nonprofit Welfare Association. It sits on about 40 acres in Birzeit, near Ramallah. Once complete, the museum will be the largest institution dedicated to conserving Palestine’s heritage, history and national culture, as well as presenting these aspects of Palestinian culture to the world through modern technology.

The museum is located on a hill near Birzeit University. Designed by an Irish architecture firm, the museum is modern with a distinguished, civilized facade. The architectural style is derived from historic Palestinian agricultural terraces that divided land with stone walls to prevent erosion and conserve rainwater. Several gardens, orchards and original Palestinian flora surround the museum.

Rana al-Anani, the museum’s public relations and media director, told Al-Monitor, “The Palestinian Museum earned ICOM membership after we applied for it in order to put Palestine on the map of international museums, cooperate with similar Arab and international establishments, exchange scientific and practical expertise to develop the quality of work and raise the efficiency of workers by training them in skills that the museum, and Palestine as a whole, lack. In addition, [we aim to] protect Palestinian heritage and culture, in virtue of the international conventions upon which ICOM bases its work.”