PHOTO GALLERY: Museum of Islamic Arts after bomb attack

Multimedia

An antiquities restoration engineer works at the Islamic Art Museum, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate on Friday, in downtown Cairo January 26, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

A security guard walks at the Islamic Art Museum, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate on Friday, in downtown Cairo January 26, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

Antiquities restoration engineers work at the Islamic Art Museum, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate on Friday, in downtown Cairo January 26, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

An antiquities restoration engineer looks at the interior of the Islamic Art Museum, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate on Friday, in downtown Cairo January 26, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

An antiquities restoration worker removes glass at the Egyptian National Library and Archives, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate on Friday, in downtown Cairo January 26, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)

Egyptian museum specialist restores repair damages inside the Museum of Islamic Artifacts after a car bombing on Friday that targeted police killed six people, devastating the facade of the security headquarters, while propelling steel and ceiling plaster onto its glass cases and wooden artifacts in the museum across the street in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 (Photo: AP)

Damages are seen inside the Museum of Islamic Artifacts after a car bombing on Friday that targeted police killed six people, devastating the facade of the security headquarters, while propelling steel and ceiling plaster onto its glass cases and wooden artifacts in the museum across the street in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 (Photo: AP)

An Egyptian museum specialist restorer repairs damages inside the Museum of Islamic Artifacts after a car bombing on Friday that targeted police killed six people, devastating the facade of the security headquarters, while propelling steel and ceiling plaster onto its glass cases and wooden artifacts in the museum across the street in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 (Photo: AP)

Cairo's Museum of Islamic Arts was badly damaged in a Friday morning bomb blast targeting the city's central police headquarters across the street.

Located in Bab Al-Khalq, close to the heart of old Islamic Cairo, the museum suffered such structural damage that antiquities minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that it would have to be completely rebuilt.

Also damaged in the blast were countless artefacts from the museum's prized collection. Founded in 1881, the museum housed some of the most important and priceless Islamic artwork in the world, and had just recently undergone a multi-million dollar renovation.

Government officials responded to museum shortly after the blast and began removing objects. The Ministry of State for Antiquities has since announced a restoration campaign, insisting that all of the damaged objects can be fully restored.

UNESCO has pledged $100,000 for the museum's restoration.