The display of about 400 unique objects from 12 of the world's biggest museums will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 8.

Though there is nothing from Baghdad, the exhibition will include world-renowned pieces such as "The Standard of Ur" from the British Museum in London and "The Bull's Head" from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Met has also spent five years working with other museums in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to bring the exhibits together.

"It is a tragic and amazingly ironical situation that we can put on show similar works to give the public an idea of what has been lost forever," said Philippe de Montebello, director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

De Montebello said the looting of the Baghdad antiquities museum reinforced the case for the world's major museums to keep many of the major works that smaller countries have demanded be returned.

"Most of these objects come from the system of sharing out that existed in the 19th and the start of the 20th century: You had archeological expeditions that dug.

"At the end of the day, what was found was sorted out. The local authorities shared it out: These three go to the Baghdad museum, these three to the Met and these three go to the Louvre," said de Montebello.

"There are those who say that these works of art are safer in their place of birth and belong there. With Kabul, and now Baghdad, we have the proof that with such a portfolio, a bit of spreading it out and diversification is useful," said the museum director.

SPACE.WIRE