The museum's building-reuse project stands in the al Sur area, in Shari' Sidi Khaliffa, Tripoli.
2011 Libyan civil war
In May 2011 it was reported that construction on – and acquisitions for – had been halted; the museum was scheduled to open in September 2011 to celebrate the anniversary of Muammar Gaddafi's rise to power. It was due to be housed in a summer palace built for the Ottoman Yusuf Pasha in the 18th century.[2]
The results of the Battle of Tripoli in August 2011, with the later arrest of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, may alter the museum's opening date and festivities.[2] Hafed Walda, Cultural Counsellor of the regime, confirmed that the project was on hold and that the future of the collection was not ensured.[3] Meanwhile, no attempts of looting the collection were reported, though the seeming patron-less future of the collection was uncertain.[2]
