A museum that opened in Saddam Hussein’s palace in September has been granted further funding in order to complete work on the galleries.

A sum of £460,000 (US$565,000, €540,000) has been donated from the UK’s Cultural Protection Fund, which is designed to assist projects and initiatives that preserve culture and heritage in countries affected by war and conflict zones.

The US$3.5m museum in the home of the deceased Iraqi dictator in Basra, Iraq, is showcasing a collection of antiquities dating back to 400 BC. The three further sections will be dedicated to the Sumer, Babylon and Assyria periods.

There are wider plans to develop a heritage area around the palace, now known as the Basra Museum. It would include hotels, restaurants and other attractions.