The museum’s website will also host storytelling to highlight Persian history and culture, and online visitors will learn about the traditional Nowruz table setting, haft sin, a ceremonial spread with seven symbolic items to help usher in a happy, prosperous year. The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, which houses the largest collection of artifacts from the ancient Middle East in the United States, will invite online visitors to learn about Persian history from scholars, play ancient board games, and listen to stories. Christopher Woods, director of the institute, says the events will honor Persian culture and history while stressing the relevance of the institute’s work and its collaboration with peers, including archaeologists and antiquities experts.
