The Saudi National Museum

The Saudi National Museum is the official museum of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is a tourist and cultural destination in the heart of the capital city of Riyadh and is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. It is part of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Al-Murabba district, built on an area of Seventeen thousand square m2. It was inaugurated in 1999.

The museum is located on the eastern side of the main square of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center and is adjacent to al-Murabba Palace, the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman al-Saud Palace, King Abdulaziz Mosque, King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah), King Abdulaziz Public Library in al-Murabba, and King Abdulaziz Conference Hall.

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia contains about 4,413 archaeological and historical artifacts bearing witness to the ages, civilizations, kingdoms, and states that have passed through or settled in the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

The National Museum was established during the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz al- Saud on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom when King Abdulaziz restored the city of Riyadh in 1902. The museum presents a historical perception according to the chronology of the human presence in the Arabian Peninsula.

The museum boasts a unique crescent-shaped façade with a two-story building located behind it. Each floor comprises four halls devoted to permanent exhibitions. The ground floor's Man and Universe Hall serves as the starting point for exploring the museum. This is followed by the Ancient Arab Kingdoms in the Arabian Peninsula Hall, the Pre-Islamic Period Hall, and the Prophet's Mission Hall on the first floor. The Islam and the Arabian Peninsula Hall comes next, followed by the First and Second Saudi State Hall, the Unification of the Kingdom Hall, and finally the Hajj and Two Holy Mosques Hall. 

The museum provides two halls for visiting and temporary local and international performances. Its exhibits include artworks, animal structures, metal images, collections, human tools, rocky pieces with drawings and archeological inscriptions, preserved inside about 221 display cabinets, in addition to explanatory means, as it includes 900 graphic means and 45 documentary and audio materials.

The National Museum and its premises host year-round temporary international and local exhibitions. It also celebrates events and festivities on official and global occasions, such as national holidays, National Day, and International Museum Day. Additionally, it organizes cultural gatherings and lectures.

The National Museum is accessible from King Khalid International Airport within 34 minutes by car, 24 km from Al-Turaif Historical District in Diriyah, one of the Saudi sites registered in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The Ministry of Culture formed a council for the curators of the National Museum headed by the Minister of Culture, with the membership of a number of specialists and businessmen, to supervise the development of the museum's work and contribute to the achievement of its objectives.