National Museum
The National Museum of Riyadh is a landmark structure in the skyline of Saudi Arabia. Established as an ode to the country's educational and cultural development, the National Museum gives an insight into the history of Saudi Arabia. Located in the beautiful city of Riyadh, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia, the National Museum is spread over 17,000 meters of land close to the King Abdul Aziz Historic Center.
Inside the National Museum, Riyadh, you can find a captivating display of Saudi Arabia's culture in its past and present forms. There are different types of antiques, manuscripts, documents and display boards that showcase an erstwhile era. There are as many as eight exhibition halls in the National Museum at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. These halls cover the following themes - Man and Universe, The Arabian Kingdoms, The Pre-Islamic Era, Prophet Mohammad's Mission, Islam and the Arab Peninsula, The First and Second Saudi State, The Unification of the Kingdom, The Hajj and Two Holy Mosques.
The uniqueness of every hall at National Museum, Saudi Arabia lies in the fact that they are independent and opulent in their respective presentations. All stages of evolution of the Saudi Arabian kingdom and Islam have been magnificently displayed here.
Various lectures and workshops are held at the National Museum, Riyadh on a frequent basis. The museum also comes out with newsletters and booklets that give information on events and exhibitions held here. This place offers a number of facilities for its visitors. National Museum, Riyadh is open from 9 am to 12 pm, and from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm on all days of the week.
Exhibition Hall of Man and Universe
This hall reviews the scientific phenomena which show the greatness of the Almighty Creator in the creation of the universe and the factors affecting the earth’s surface as well as various patterns of life in different geological ages besides various environments of prehistoric man. The museum is displaying different kinds of rocks, meteors, mineral and fossils which indicate geological fluctuations since millions of years. Regarding preserving the environment, a special ward has been set apart for the wildlife in the Kingdom. As for the history of man in the prehistoric Arabian Peninsula, the museum is displaying the period in the form of antiquities and exhibits reflecting how he coped with the human environment and the old stone tools and methods of manufacture, development and housing models for human and rock-drawings of prehistoric man among others.
Exhibition Hall of Arabian Kingdoms
The period extends from the 6th millennium BC to the history of Arabian Peninsula. The exhibits of this period are divided into three major wings beginning with the exhibiting the important historical and cultural elements. First wing is allocated for highlighting ancient civilizations that arose into Arabian Peninsula; the second wing is devoted to Arab Kingdoms of the middle ages. The third wing displays the period of late Arab Kingdoms. These wards are displaying many other antiquity items, modules, photos, images, maps, besides audio visual displays.
Exhibition Hall of Pre-Islamic Era (Age of Jahilia)
It highlights the Arabian Peninsula and its populations, important cities, industries and markets of that period, which were not limited to trade but as a political, cultural and commercial competition forum attracting and gathering poets and preachers from different tribes. Also it is reflecting pilgrimage journey in the ignorant times, as well as the important cities at that time and their pilgrimage practices. Beside it is highlighting the famous historical Year of the Elephant - A'm Al Feel military campaign, the year that witnessed the birth of Prophet Mohammad "God's blessings and peace be upon him" in 570 AD.
Exhibition Hall of Prophetic Mission
This hall includes paintings indicating the Prophet Mohammad's (God's blessings and peace be upon him) lineage as well as his family and his brief biography since his birth in Makkah until his migration to Al Madinah. The exhibited materials include manuscripts of holy Qur'an version and paintings and road maps of his migration from Makkah to Al Madinah. That besides, the corridor gives the presentation of the migration episode reflected through the audio-visual means with a masterly and distinct artistic production.
Exhibition of Islam & Arabian Peninsula
Exhibition in this hall highlights important periods of Islamic history starting from the arrival of Prophet Mohammad (God's blessings and peace be upon him) through the Madinah era Caliphs. It also presents the expansion and the prosperity in Umayyad era as well as the development of civilization and sciences in Abbasid, Mamluk and Ottoman era. Besides it displays the paintings, visual displays, photographs, images, maps and charts, manuscripts, coins, jewelry, various inscriptions and utensils in addition to audio and visual presentations.
Exhibition Hall of Saudi First & Second State
Represent an important historical period from the date of the Arabian Peninsula from 850-1309 H / 1446-1819 AD, highlighting the conditions of the Arabian Peninsula before the first Saudi State. Besides, Dir'iyah foundation of the charter, the consolidation of governance and security and prosperity of science as well as the Dir'iyah siege after founding of the second Saudi State , which was followed by its stability and prosperity and then the Riyadh Departure period. This portrays the paintings, photographs, display items, modern maps, manuscripts, documents, weapons, coins, and utensils in addition to the different visual presentation for the siege of the Dir’iyah.
Exhibition Hall of the Kingdom's Unification
This highlights the history of the modern Saudi State from the beginning of the Riyadh conquest by King Abdulaziz in 1319 Hijri corresponding to 1901 to the Unification of the Kingdom. In addition to the presentation of the modern architecture of all the regions which are tracking the beginning stages of consolidation and standardization of Najd and Al Qaseem, recovering Al Ahsa, restoration and consolidation of Hail and Al-Asir, Hijaz and then the declaration of the united Arab Saudi Arabia. In addition to this the wing illustrates the administrative system at King Abdulaziz era and the state organization and development as well as oil discovery story. The wing also includes the architectural models in the Kingdom in addition to scripts, weapons, rare books, documents, coins and various utensils. Besides ancient tools of education, heritage utensils, woolen tents a visual presentation telling the story of unification of the Kingdom can be seen.
Exhibition Hall of Al Haj & the Two Holy Mosques
Exhibition in this hall is focusing on the pilgrimage since ancient times to the present day, comprising five wards as the follows:
- Model of Makkah, holy rites and introduction to Al Haj rites.
- The old pilgrim routes in the Arabian Peninsula.
- The history of Makkah, its courtyard and the Holy Ka’aba.
- The history of Al Madinah and its courtyard.
- Al Haj throughout centuries until the present time and the role of Saudi Arabia towards the Ka’aba pilgrimages.
In this room "Exhibition of Haj and the Two Holy Mosques" the exhibits of variety of materials, including artifacts, heritage and manuscripts, documents, photographs, images, incarnates, maps and films are presented.
Days of Visit
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Week Days |
Morning 9:00 to 12:00 |
Evening 4:30 to 9:30 |
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Saturday |
Schools / Men |
Closed for
Maintenance |
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Sunday |
School / Women |
Family |
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Monday |
Schools / Men |
Family |
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Tuesday |
School / Women |
Men |
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Wednesday |
Schools / Men |
Family |
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Thursday |
Schools / Men |
Family |
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Friday |
Closed |
Family |
Entrance Fee
- SR 10 for an adult
- Free for children
- Free for students
A Sample of National Museums Acquisitions
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A variety of stone tools made of different type of stones, exhibiting the type of industrialization of tools in the places deciphered from the remnants of scattered fragments.
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A set of arrowheads made of flint stone in gray, white and honey colors. Some of the arrow heads have dissimilar triangular shapes while others are oval. The arrow heads have rugged surfaces. Many of these have fixing points. Some of them have duel canine horns on either side of the heads with sharp edges. On the right pane of the first row is a tool that has a form of a bay leaf with a wavy surface and semi-tapered head. At the beginning of the fourth row there is a group of spear heads with wavy surfaces their lower and upper edges broken.
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A Jar with round high neck and lips twisted out and flat base made with paste of red jagged rocks and broken straw sticks and it is painted in red. The jar is decorated with black color in the form of inverted triangles. The bottom bar which is filled with rusty black zigzag arcs. It seems to have been renovated and repaired. |
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Obelisk made of sandstone of rectangular shape, topped with a horizontal beam carved from the body of the obelisk and flowing down ending in a semi-side sculpture with irregular surface divided into two parts. The upper part is devoted to religious symbols, including a winged sun disk on the left. To its right followed by an unintelligible form then cut down below is a star inside a circle and in the middle of a circular there is a hole. Followed by protruding sculpture of bull horns and a human figure, below the bull sculpture with his left hand raised to the top. The lower part there is the Aramaic inscription consisting of ten consecutive lines extended vertically and horizontally to read as follows:
1- (Temple Panel) Tema
2- Established by Fesjo Shuhdo son
3- of Meci for the life he offered a sacrifice in the temple
4- for the niche of the lord as for the base here
5- he built this place in front of the spray
6- Lord Slam rules Shangala base
7- Oshema the goddess of Tema
8- For the sack of spirit of Fesjo
9- witnessed the Lord and his descendents
10- of his soul (…) |
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Fresco painting with yellowish background bears decorations consisting of: drawing of a portrait of a man with thin and long mustache and popping eyes. Over his head he wears wreath. Over and above which is a branch of a tree of generosity hanging with a cluster of grapes. To the left of the face is the top half of the body of a man with a round face and chest robe with vertical folds. The paintings show a vine tree on top of man's head and in the bottom to his left hand between him and the face with popping eyes. The broad line appears in red to the right of half man with letters written with a Musnad pen. On the right hand side of the face shows three lines hanging from the top in dark brown color. |
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Altar carved from limestone with a rectangular base made up of lower twin terraces. The lower terrace is a little wider than the upper one. On the second terrace is a cone-shaped column gradually tapering upwards. The column’s surface is decorated with many shapes in the form of vertical lines. Over the column is situated a square shaped crown which is wider than the column. There is a terrace on top of the column and then a block of stone beneath in a wide band. A second terrace is based on the square terrace in the middle of its surface, which is a carved altar in a circular form with a rising edge on the surface of the altar. Below the lower bottom of the crown of the altar, are carved rectangle shapes projecting all around. In front of the altar and at the bottom, are Mosnad writings in bold types. |
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The Mask of human face made of gold. It shows the details of the face, with small eyes and raised eyebrows. A long nose with a small mouth, a light mustache and cheeks, and a chin with small paint brush beard on the chin. |
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Part of the head and neck of a lion made of bronze showing clear details. It is a part of a lions scalp in the form of a plexus with a mane behind the ears and wrapped around the neck. Appearing at the top of the head and between the eyebrows are protrusions on the opposing sides. Underneath are two prominent eyaes and below the nose appear details of whiskers. The mouth of the statue is ravenous and on both sides of the head are ears in significant details.
Claw: A portion of the claw (lion’s feet) showing details of the three fingers with three hooked nails of a claw. |
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Piece of rectangular marble, carved on a rectangular frame. On its upper portion, five Mosnad characters are engraved deep inside the frame. Inside the frame there is protruding sculpture of a human form, head connected to the top of the frame. The head shows the eyebrows in the form of straight lines separated and adjacent and underneath appear the eyelids with heavy and sunken eyes, nose, and mouth wide open. A little chin appears in the form of an inverted crescent below. A short neck and arms curved at the bottom in the situation of relaxation. There are fingers on both hands. Right hand rests on a square with characters deeply engraved. The body appears tapered from the top of the waist and wide above the legs. The form appears to be wearing a short dress.
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Rectangular block of stone formed in the shape of the dispersed sculpture. The face of sculpt is a projecting triangle and inside the triangle are eyes carved in oval shape with sharp edges. Just below the eyes from the center is a descending nose enlarged near the end. At the bottom of the face there is a kind of necklace, descending in a loop down from over the shoulders and around the neck. Down the necklace, there are two sculptured ridges progressing in cross-cut form. In the middle of these there is a sculptured short ledge connecting both the ridges. The bottom bar sculpture shows projection as a broad belt with a tightening sculpture in the form of a triangle tongues. |
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A gold necklace set with stones and a circle of descending beads in the shape of a crescent. A dotted circular pendent with an oval shape black gemstone hangs in the middle. The center black stone of the pendent has cameo face. On the pendent appear two ears with hole in each with a fixed link. On either of the edges of the pendent are two joints to which are fixed two gold chains of length 17 cm. The strings end in a circular kinks used for suspension. |
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Hand glove (hand and arm) made of gold, showing the back of the palm of the hand and fingers with small nails with triangular ends. The joints of the fingers are very clear. The hand bone appears larger. At the rear end, there are three holes used for installing the model. |