Museums Commission

The Museums Commission is the entity responsible for managing, establishing, developing, and maintaining museums in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and preserving their artistic and archaeological character. Established in 2020, it stands as one of eleven cultural commissions whose simultaneous establishment was approved by the Council of Ministers, and operates under the Ministry of Culture.

The Museums Commission, as stipulated in its regulatory arrangements, is responsible for implementing multiple tasks, most notably: creating a database for the museums sector, raising awareness and interest in museums, licensing activities in the commission's area of work, encouraging individuals, institutions and companies to produce and develop sector-related content, in addition to organizing and holding conferences, exhibitions, events and competitions, and representing the Kingdom in regional and international forums, organizations and entities.

The commission empowers local talents specialized in the museums sector, supports Saudi workers and practitioners in the field, encourages financing and investment in its areas of competence, proposes standards for the museums sector, and participates in regional and international commissions, organizations and unions. Furthermore, the commission coordinates with relevant entities to support the protection of the sector’s intellectual property rights.

The Museums Commission offers sector-oriented educational programs and scholarships for talents. Furthermore, it harnesses modern technologies to implement its initiatives and executive programs. In 2020, the Ministry of Culture supported this initiative by launching a unified online platform for cross-cultural scholarships.

The Museums Commission's logo includes geometric icons showing a museum-shaped figure. The colors of the logo reflect the space which empowers Saudi creators, and it is inspired by the Ministry of Culture's logo.

The commission conducts its business from its headquarters in the capital Riyadh, under a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister of Culture, who is responsible for supervising the commission’s affairs, plans and programs, and making all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives. The commission is headed by a CEO who is appointed by the board, and is responsible for managing the commission’s affairs.

The commission enjoys a public legal personality, financial and administrative autonomy, and an annual operating budget included within the budget of the Ministry of Culture. It is organizationally affiliated with the Minister of Culture, and all its employees are subject to the Labor Law and Social Security Law.