The museums in Saudi Arabia have changed significantly throughout time, further adhering to the missions of the government to boost non-religious tourism. The most recent technology has enabled museums to offer visitors an immersive experience. Here we list the ten top attractions in Saudi Arabia museums.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a lengthy, unique heritage as a result of the different tribes that have inhabited the country. One of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia is the museums that beautifully capture the history and culture to show the future.
The artifacts and treasures from the Islamic and pre-Islamic periods are preserved here, including the wonderful antiques. The best things to do in Saudi Arabia are including the planned walking to the museums in your preference.
Saudi Arabia is a country with an extensive cultural history. To commemorate its rich past, the monarchy maintains various museums spread out around the nation with highly attractive elements to entice everyone worldwide.
In these exquisitely built museums, visitors can examine historical weapons, ancient antiquities, religious writings, and more. Additionally, some of the relics date back as far as 4,000 years, visiting a singular experience for the visitors. The top 10 museums in Saudi Arabia are listed below:
Clock Tower Museum
A must-visit tourist attraction in Makkah city is the Clock Tower Museum, which is located in the third-tallest skyscraper in the entire world. It is also known as the tallest clock tower, one of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia. The museum features observatories, observation decks, and scientific centers. The first four floors of the clock tower will serve as the museum ground. On the first level, you can see the famous Makkah Clock, often said to be the most accurate in the world. On the second and third floors, there is an observatory. On these floors of the museum are huge astronomical models that have been preserved. Large balconies on the fourth floor offer a bird's-eye view of the Grand Mosque. For many photographers, one of the best things to do in Saudi Arabia is to click stunning pictures from each corner of these museums.
* Location: King Abdul Aziz Road, Makkah.
* Allowed hours: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.
* Entry fee: 150 SAR for persons and 300 SAR for VIPs.The Makkah Museum
The best spot to learn about Makkah's history and current tales is the Makkah Museum, originally known as the Al Zahir Palace. It is without a doubt one of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia and one of the most popular museums in the city, as so many people are flowing to the place with curiosity. The museum takes tourists back in time to the artistic history of Saudi Arabia. Here you may find a magnificent collection of Islamic archaeology, art, and literature.
The museum's walls include inscriptions that illustrate the teachings of the Quran. The writings serve as the calligraphy practiced by Muslims for centuries. While traversing the halls of the Makkah Museum, visitors can experience a sense of the vast religious and historical past. There is a facility for praying in several rooms, with separate spaces for men and women.
* Location: Makkah Al Madinah Munawwarah Rd Az Zahir, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
* Hours: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.Dar Al Madinah Museum
The Dar al-Madinah museum, which is privately owned by Abdul-Aziz bin Abdul-Rahman bin Ibrahim Kaki, brilliantly demonstrates the historical tales of the sacred city. The museum offers a visual treat of both static and operating versions of the vintage equipment, settings, and more.
Models of the Dome of the Rock, Haram al-Sharif, and Al-Aqsa are also on display in the museum, along with exhibits detailing the history of the Prophet's mosque, Masjid An Nabawi. For history lovers, one of the best things to do in Saudi Arabia is to take note of the past stories of the country from these museums. It also houses over 2,000 displays that preserve several historical and ancient relics, pictures, and artifacts. Saad Ibn Abi-Waqas, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, is one of them.
* Location: Safwan Ibn Malik Al Tamimi, Al Mabuth, Madinah
* Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday is a holiday.
* Entry fee: SR 25National Museum of Saudi Arabia
One of the largest collections on the development of life on the Arabian Peninsula can be found in the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. Numerous sections make up the museum, including the Prophet's Mission Hall, the Man and Universe Hall, the Hall on the Saudi Arabia Foundation, and the Pre-Islamic Era Hall, which are among the four main sections. Here, each room is exhibiting weapons and maps, animal fossils, relics from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as tribal antiques from bygone eras.
* Location: King Abdul Aziz Historical Center, King Faisal Road, Riyadh
* Hours: Saturday to Thursday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; and Friday, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.
* Entry fee: SR 10Royal Saudi Air Force Museum
One of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia is the Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, also called the Saqer-Aljazirah Aviation Museum. Here you can learn about the history of aviation in the nation's rich information. This Aviation Museum features a section dedicated to the Saudi Air Force.
One of the best things to do in Saudi Arabia visits the fighter jets, vintage airplane models, and other air force aircraft on display. A unique exhibit on a particular attire and equipment used by the Saudi Air Force throughout history as well as Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Saudi to travel into space, are also disclosed to watch at the Museum.
* Location: Eastern Ring Road, King Abdullah District, Riyadh
* Hours: 9 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm.
* Entry fee: 10 SAR for adults and 5 SAR for kids.Museum of Happiness
The Museum of Happiness welcomes visitors of all ages and uses brilliant colors to create a stress-relieving environment. People will be highly encouraged to engage with the artworks and other exhibits in the museum. The 1300 square meters of the museum are kept in a playful theme. The ten exhibit halls include a rubber duck, a gumball machine, vintage games, and a bear area.
Do you know what the best things to do in Saudi Arabia, the Museum of Happiness are? The Happiness Cafe is a restaurant that is located inside the museum to serve you the best in taste. The gift shop, also inside the museum, sells souvenirs related to the museum. Explore the best of the best!
* Location: Front, Riyadh
* Hours: 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. every day
* Entry fee: SR 60 for children under 12 and SR 160 for adults.Tayebat Museum
Amazing Hijazi architecture is displayed at the Tayebat Museum. Old manuscripts, heritage-related artifacts, and historical recreations of the Arabs are all exhibited in the museum. It has 12 structures, roughly 300 chambers, and is 10,000 square meters in size.
Tayebat is an exciting and wonderful museum of Saudi Arabian art, with various pieces by well-known artists adorning the museum walls. Additionally, some rooms in the museum contain items relating to Saudi Arabia's notable past. Taking note of the rich history is one of the best things to do in Saudi Arabia.
* Location: Al Faisaliyah District, Rayhanat Al Jazirah, Jedda
* Hours: Saturday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., closed on Friday.Historic Khuzam Palace
The museum is situated inside the boundaries of the renowned Khuzam Palace in the Al-Nuzlah al-Yamaniyah neighborhood of Jeddah. Highlights of the collection include items from several pre-Islamic civilizations, artifacts from the Neolithic period attributed to the Acheulean era, artifacts from the rise of Islam, and relics from the imperial family's time at the castle. These items were discovered in the nearby Wadi Fatimah. So, you shouldn’t miss this one among the top attractions in Saudi Arabia.
* Location: Al-Nazlah Al-Yamaniyah, JeddahNassif House Museum
Nassif House is a museum as well as a historical site, making it extra unique for visitors. The 106-room mansion, which was constructed in the late 19th century for the governor of Jeddah, served as the monarchy's administrative center after King Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the country's founding father, conquered the city in 1925. In 1975, the mansion was converted into a library.
If you are a historic book lover, one of the best things to do in Saudi Arabia is to get ready to explore the 16,000 books that are now available to the people at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. Just for the architecture alone, the seven-story Nassif House Museum is worth visiting. Its design is Ottoman Turkish, with a variety of apartments arranged around maze-like halls. The large windows have Islamic calligraphy on the wood lattice and tiles.
* Location: Al Balad area, Jeddah
* Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11:55 p.m.; and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.Tabuk Castle and Museum
Another tourist destination and one of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia is the Tabuk Castle and Museum, which was built in 35 BC. It is a well-known location that captures the spirit of the era in which it was constructed. The name of the castle is a direct quotation from the Holy Quran.
Due to its incredible architecture and design, the castle was declared the best museum and one of the top attractions in Saudi Arabia. A freshwater cistern, watchtowers, an open square, and two mosques are all part of the complex. A huge collection of historical documents from the time of Prophet Muhammad is housed in the castle, which has been converted into a museum.
* Location: Uthman Ibn Affan Road, Tabuk
* Hours: Saturday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., closed on Friday
