Saqr al-Jazira Aviation Museum

Saqr al-Jazira Aviation Museum is a museum that specializes in aviation and related sciences. It was opened in 1999. It houses collections, aircraft, and historical documents, showcasing the technological advancements achieved by the aviation sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It bridges the past and present, starting from the era of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud up to the present day.

The museum was established in conjunction with the centennial of the unification of the Kingdom to highlight and document the efforts and achievements made to build and develop the Royal Saudi Air Force. The museum educates Air Force personnel especially, Armed Forces members in general, citizens, and visitors about the aviation sector, promoting interest in aviation and space sciences through educational and entertaining means and various exhibits.

In addition to aircraft, historical documents, photos, and artifacts, the museum showcases films that delve into the history of the Royal Saudi Air Force and some of its operations. The museum also features illuminated cabins.

There is a historical photo section in the museum, which includes a collection of historical phases that the Royal Saudi Air Force has gone through. Each phase contains relevant photos and documents showcasing the progression from the establishment of the Air Force to the present. This section includes display screens, aircraft models, and military uniforms.

The air bases section in the museum showcases the military air bases in the Kingdom, including King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran City. It provides a brief overview of the history of each air base, along with photos of the bases and the commanders who have led them over the years.

The museum features an F-15 corner with a simulator dedicated to the F-15 aircraft and a display screen showcasing some of the aircraft's missions. An F-15 aircraft is positioned at the main visitor entrance for close viewing.

The Wapiti corner represents the typical style of old military camps, highlighting the role of Wapiti aircraft in camp protection, delivering medicine to remote areas, and transporting mail.

The museum accommodates other corners including the Typhoon aircraft corner with a specific flight simulator and display screen, and the C-130 aircraft corner, which introduces visitors to the C-130 aircraft's missions, historical photos, documents, and display screens detailing its operations, such as refueling, transporting soldiers, and parachute drops.

The museum features a corner dedicated to King Faisal Air Academy, showcasing the history of the academy and its successive leaders. This corner includes a display screen showing the stages of study and the activities conducted by the academy. Additionally, there is a section for the Technical Studies Institute, a military uniforms section, and a space section dedicated to Prince Sultan Bin Salman, the first Muslim astronaut.

The museum hosts special events during national celebrations and holidays, such as National Day, Founding Day, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. These events include interactive activities for visitors, a military parade with military music, the Saudi Ardah dance, and other performances. Visitors can watch the film "al-Hilm" on the military transport aircraft C130 and short films in the 4D simulation theater. They can also view aircraft that served in the Royal Saudi Air Force, including the Founding King Abdulaziz's "Dakota" and the first warplane he purchased, the Wapiti.