Saudi Arabia inaugurates first museum dedicated to Islamic art

Saudi Arabia inaugurates first museum dedicated to Islamic art
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Saudi Arabia has inaugurated its first museum dedicated exclusively to Islamic art, the Jeddah House of Islamic Arts, located in Jeddah Park, Connectingtravel.com reported. This new cultural landmark joins a select group of institutions worldwide focusing solely on Islamic art and heritage. The museum showcases over 1,000 rare artefacts collected from across the Muslim world, featuring unique masterpieces not found elsewhere.

The museum is organized into six galleries, each highlighting different facets of Islamic culture. The first gallery displays ceramics and glassworks from the 7th to the 16th century CE, illustrating the evolution of handicrafts. The second gallery focuses on metalworks from the 7th to 19th centuries, noted for intricate decorations and engravings. The third gallery presents 500 coins tracing the economic history of Islamic societies from the time of the Prophet Muhammad to the present day.

The fourth gallery explores Islamic art’s influence on other civilizations, particularly European cultures. The fifth gallery houses rare Quranic manuscripts, calligraphy, and wooden tablets used by students memorizing the Quran. The final gallery exhibits Islamic textiles, including coverings of the Kaaba and an Ottoman-era curtain from the Prophet’s Mosque.

The museum also features a specialized library with curated texts on Islamic heritage. Curator Mohammed Al-Kurbi emphasized the museum’s role in preserving Islamic art and fostering intercultural dialogue. The opening supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 cultural initiatives, following other recent projects like Diriyah Art Futures.