TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) -- Manager of Public Relations Office of the Film Museum of Iran said that people do not welcome the museum. He believes the museum is good enough to be visited for a second time.

“Many people do not know about such a museum although it has really had many attractions. I met people who have visited the museum,” said Mas’oud Pour-Mohammad.

He believes that people have ignored the necessity for visiting museums.

“The walls of our rooms are full of our children’s photos, but we usually forget to put a photo of our father or mother beside them; this ignorance is true about our history too,” Pour-Mohammad sighed.

“We do need to be aware of our past to have a proper familiarity with our present,” he added.

In its new place at Bagh-e Ferdows, the Film Museum of Iran was inaugurated on September 2002 by President Seyed Mohammad Khatami. The museum had been previously established in 1998 at Lalehzar St., once known as Tehran’s Broadway. It was closed after a short time.

Despite developments made in place and objects of the museum, there has been no increase in the number of visitors; it seems that the museum officials are concerned about the return of stagnancy.

After the opening of the museum in the new position, officials did not make any effective advertisement for it.

“We have decided to offer our tickets at crowded centers such as theaters. We also intend to sell the tickets through travel agencies throughout Tehran,” said Pour-Mohammad.

According to him the first kiosk for selling the tickets will be established at the Farhang Cinema in Shariati Street.

In order to promote the museum, Pour-Mohammad said that they were ready to offer discount tickets for schools, universities and other institutes. He also proposed art and cultural institutes as well as companies to offer the tickets as advertising presents.

The objects of the museum have been granted either by cineastes or their families. The museum displays century long history of Iran’s cinema: poster of the first Iranian movie, photos of Iran’s cinema pioneers, list of first Iranian theaters, Iran’s first movie teasers, Iran’s first international awards in cinema, and so many other firsts.

The museum is usually visited in about 15-member groups led by a guide. According to Pour-Mohammad the museum can host 5,000 visitors in a month, but the number of visitors reaches only approximately 1,500 people during the time.

Two pavilions have been allocated to the Iranian cineaste family Makhmalbaf and the renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami – the filmmakers who are physically absent in their country. The objects of their pavilions also attest to the fact.

Officials plan to add three sections of sacred defense cinema, children’s, and voice halls to the museum. “Visitors can listen to the historical voices of Iranian art and cultural figures through the computer facilities that will be available at the Voice Hall,” said Pour-Mohammad, concluding, “There have been many problems to establish the museum, but acquainting people with the museum is our present priority.”