The FAR Museum of Dallas

[CTroyMathis]

Anyone know anything about "The FAR Museum of Dallas". . .?

Apparently someone (http://www.thefar.com/) wants (or wanted) to build a 170KSF (Euro-Islam collection) museum somewhere in or near the Arts District that looks like The Temple of Hathor at Dendera (http://images.google.com/images?svnum=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGGL%2CGGGL%3A2005-09%2CGGGL%3Aen&q=Temple+Hathor+Dendera&btnG=Search). . .

[Tnekster]

I don't know but it says the temporary offices are in 1600 Pacific. Isn't that building being cleared out for a redo?

[CTroyMathis]

Yeah, I did a search a bit after my original post and found they are based out of 3225 turtle creek. Which, of course, is this: http://www.3225turtlecreek.com/

[tamtagon]

Anyone know anything about "The FAR Museum of Dallas". . .?


WOW!! This sounds like a really big deal. I'm sure some people will be frightened by the Islamic connection, but I no other museum or gallery comes to mind in which would compare to this collection, maybe from a university. From the website:


...Volumes dealing with science, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, history and dozens of other subjects written through the centuries ... were themselves endangered ... Mr. Raouf Fahmy's father ... Sending agents into Egypt to buy up whole libraries moments before they were consigned to the fires of oblivion ... This collection is finally seeing the light of day in the Far Museum of Dallas, Texas.... will be available for view by the public and for direct use by scholars and researchers ... Consisting of some 20,000 manuscripts, 50,000 bound volumes and 10,000 artifacts, the holes in history the collection will fill are incalculable.

This will really be something for the intellectual scene in Dallas. The Crow Asian collection seems a very nice compliment. Maybe Ms. Billingsley can put together a land deal for the Far Museum and a new expandable space for the Crow Asian Collection.


MISSION STATEMENT

To establish a world class museum displaying a rich collection of artifacts from civilizations stretching from China to the Mediterranean. The museum will offer a forum for scholar and layperson alike to learn even more of the civilizations, cultural diversity, religious origins, art, ancient scientific discoveries and mystical past that was the Eastern contribution to the development of Western Civilization. Given the vast size of the collection, it will be rotated from time to time at the direction of the Curator. Additionally, sculpture gardens throughout the museum will exhibit ancient sculpture and contemporary pieces. A gallery will be provided to allow for traveling exhibitions to be displayed in the museum.

Can someone put some perspective on this place, like how does it compare to The Nasher Sculpture Center? Is it world class on that level? It kinda sounds like it....

[Rob]

The website doesn't look particularly professional.

But the pages for the architecture firm and the developer might be enough to put that reservation to rest:

http://www.wdg-habib.com/
http://www.mjsrealtyinc.com/

[Insidetheloop]

They should build it next to the Holocaust Museum.

[msutton]

I wonder if this is the real deal or just some tease...

[tamtagon]

I wonder if this is the real deal or just some tease...

I hope not, because if it is, I sure fell for it. Where's Cornelius?

[msutton]

my thoughts exactly...

[Boredkid]

Its odd, on their web site they say they are a member of the American Association of Museums. Yet on the aam web site they have no info about them.

http://www.aam-us.org/museumresources/accred/list.cfm?mode=search

[Mephis Gooseberry]

Boy this is creepy, hope its not some terrorist front organization. Someone brave enough to go visit their temporary office and see if they are legit?

[Rob]

...

[Boredkid]

Boy this is creepy, hope its not some terrorist front organization. Someone brave enough to go visit their temporary office and see if they are legit?

You have to be kidding me.

[Mephis Gooseberry]

Demand to see their green card.

[tamtagon]

I'm still hanging on that this is for real. Ran across this bio at the end of an unusual Site about the FAR Museum President: (http://www.therealskeptic.com/column1.html)

Peter Bros is the author of the 9 volume Copernican Series and is President of The Far Museum of Dallas, an actual history museum, which will house its collection of 50,000 rare Eastern Mediterranean manuscripts and artifacts together with actual history displays and tours in a full-sized replica of the Egyptian Temple at Dendera to be built in the Dallas Ft. Worth area. Email: peterbros@therealskeptic.com

[Boredkid]

So what ever happened with this??

[grantboston]

^ I really hope this materializes. The Arab world has some of the most beautiful art man has ever created. It certainly doesn't get as much publicity in the US as it should. Should the FAR happen, I think it would set the Dallas art scene apart from others in a way that none of the present museums have been able to, Nasher included.

[freewaytincan]

Where do they want to put this?

[Boredkid]

So take it still no word on this? Seems they have removed they phone # from the site. Or I just cant find it.
Cant you look up who owns there website? Maybe that would shed some more light on whats going on.

http://www.thefar.com/

[dfwcre8tive]

Any news on this project? Maybe they could build on the land in front of Museum Tower.