Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission announced that the Red Sea Museum will open on December 6, 2025 in the heart of Historic Jeddah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The museum will serve as a cultural landmark and global destination that reflects the Kingdom’s vision to preserve the Red Sea’s cultural and natural heritage and highlight its global significance through exhibitions and programs that showcase its human history.

Prince Badr bin Farhan, Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Museums Commission, said the Red Sea Museum embodies the Kingdom’s commitment to protecting and preserving national heritage in line with Vision 2030, while building a cultural infrastructure that enhances quality of life through arts, culture and education, and empowers creators.

Designed as an immersive cultural experience, the museum combines contemporary technologies with research practices and artifact preservation.

It will collaborate with local and international institutions and offer interactive pathways that deepen public understanding of the Red Sea as a space of knowledge, artistic exchange and social connection, with educational content tailored to all age groups.

The museum is housed in the historic Bab Al-Bunt building, located at the meeting point of land and sea.

The structure has been restored according to the highest environmental sustainability standards for heritage conservation.

Bab Al-Bunt retains its architectural character and historic role as Jeddah’s original gateway to the world, now revived as a cultural landmark that links past and present and reinforces Historic Jeddah’s identity as a bridge between cultures on the Red Sea coast.

The permanent exhibitions include more than 1,000 historical and artistic pieces displayed across seven thematic sections in 23 galleries.

Using a contemporary approach that blends historical narrative with interactive experiences, the exhibitions explore the enduring relationship between people and the Red Sea and its influence on the region’s diverse civilizations and cultures.

The museum’s themes showcase the history of Bab Al-Bunt and its transformations, the origins and cultural significance of the Red Sea, as well as navigation tools and maps used by sailors and travelers.

They also highlight the region’s environmental diversity, coastal communities, maritime trade, pilgrimage routes and artistic works inspired by the Red Sea’s cultural exchanges.

The museum houses an extensive collection of rare artifacts and heritage objects, including Chinese ceramics, incense burners, coral pieces, jewelry, navigation instruments, maps, manuscripts and archival photographs, alongside modern and contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists.

The displays create a visual dialogue linking past and present within the broader narrative of the Red Sea.

The opening will feature the museum’s first temporary exhibition, “Gateway of Gateways,” by Saudi artist Moath Alofi and curated by Philippe Cardinal.

The exhibition documents the architectural and symbolic evolution of Bab Al-Bunt and its historical role as a gateway between past and present, offering visitors a contemporary visual interpretation of the building’s cultural legacy.

The museum will also launch a public program featuring workshops, training courses, open talks and seminars.

These include crafts training under the “Made in the Red Sea” initiative, sustainable art projects such as “Red Sea Art,” and musical performances celebrating the region’s heritage, including “Music of the Red Sea,” which blends authenticity and experimentation.