Makkah museums tell story of holy city’s past and present

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Each of the 10 museums has its own distinct exhibitions with specialties including Islamic currencies, Makkah crafts, regional folk heritage and displays documenting the Kingdom throughout its history. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 02 August 2020
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Makkah museums tell story of holy city’s past and present

  • The historic center of Muslim pilgrimage is a treasure house of rare artifacts that showcases the striking culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia

Historic Makkah has welcomed pilgrims for thousands of years and detailed records of its past and present are contained in the holy city’s museums.

Ten museums housing many rare artifacts showcase the culture and heritage of the city through fascinating collections and displays.

Each center has its own unique exhibitions with specialties including Islamic currencies, crafts of Makkah, regional folk heritage and general displays documenting the Kingdom down the ages.

The Two Holy Mosques Architecture Exhibition is one of the most prominent museums in Saudi Arabia and is home to treasures and artifacts dating back more than 1,400 years.

Opened in 2000 during the reign of the late King Fahd, it contains seven main halls highlighting Islamic civilization.

Tourist guide, Eitimad Ghazzawi, said the exhibition contained treasures and relics from the era of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions. “The museum also houses in its corridors the art and history of the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque.”




Dr. Fahd Al-Malki, general supervisor of the museums department at Umm Al-Qura University. (Supplied)

In addition, it features paintings of the Two Holy Mosques and a maquette of the expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah throughout the eras. The oldest item in the museum from the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s companion, Abdullah bin Al-Zubair, is a wooden column that was one of the inner pillars of the Kaaba and is almost 1,300 years old.

Ghazzawi added that there was also a copy of the Qur’an written during the reign of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, containing drawings, letters, and elegant calligraphy.

Dr. Fahd Al-Maliki, the general supervisor of the museums department at Umm Al-Qura University, said: “Museums have a great mission no less important than other cultural bodies in terms of urban development and improving the public’s tastes.

“They are also a service that every member of society should enjoy to acquire knowledge and culture provided by any museum, which captures culture in a visual manner. For children and youth, a visit to the museum plays an important role in moving emotions and enlightening minds.”

He noted that the role of museums was not limited to preserving artistic riches but also deepening artistic culture. “Museums are places that help visitors, whether scholars or ordinary people, enjoy, study and benefit from their artistic and cultural components.




Each of the 10 museums has its own distinct exhibitions with specialties including Islamic currencies, Makkah crafts, regional folk heritage and displays documenting the Kingdom throughout its history. (Shutterstock)

“The mission of these museums in Makkah is providing the opportunity to achieve artistic richness by contemplating its contents, which include excellent creations of its artistic value, because of its authenticity in conveying the emotions and thoughts of the people of Makkah, thus reflecting Saudi society and helping establish spiritual and cultural values.

“Museums in Makkah today are a cultural center reflecting the country’s culture and history, contributing to raising educational and cultural awareness, developing a sense of belonging among members of society, and conveying an educational and cultural message to visitors about the history of their ancestors,” he added.

“The importance of the museums in Makkah are due to it being the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad’s message. The prophet’s story took place in Makkah, and from it the light of truth traveled to the whole world.

“Makkah’s museums reflect the transformation in the museums industry today and their central roles, in addition to contributing to the enlightening of society. Moreover, museum activities are developed to fulfill their mission professionally,” Al-Maliki said.

Owners of private museums also showcase Makkah’s civilization and development.

The Museum of Human Heritage, owned by Majdoua Al-Ghamdi, tells the stories of the Kingdom’s leaders. Its exhibits include household appliances used in Makkah before electricity was introduced, a section on Saudi tribes, and displays on the role of the city’s residents in serving pilgrims and the history of the ancient Madrasah Al-Sawlatiyah, one of the oldest schools in the Arabian Peninsula.

Al-Ghamdi said that the museum included Byzantine and Roman coins of all kinds — gold and various metals — and the Islamic dinar, silver, and gold used during the Umayyad era, in addition to weapons such as cannons, knives, daggers, swords and guns.

“The private museums of the holy capital integrate with each other to provide knowledge and cultural diversity, in addition to being an important source reflecting the cultural and historical balance of Makkah, which God has blessed with great heritage ingredients during different ages,” he added.

He noted that the museums provided a knowledge portal that reflected the values of the present and the beauty of the past while immortalizing the stories, literature and lives of people through the ages. “They also provide inspiration for the cultural and knowledge depth that we have continuously experienced since the dawn of history and until the abundant Saudi era, which did its utmost to serve the Two Holy Mosques,” he added.




Islamic currencies are among those on display in the museums.

Al-Ghamdi pointed out that the exhibits of the private museums reflected visitor preferences. “This makes us more in harmony with their tastes, and we strive to simulate the visitors’ cultural vision and stimulate their creative passion.”

Sami Kurdi, another private museum owner, said that he spent 40 years collecting metal objects and his exhibits told the story of the struggle of Makkah’s ancestors and their great civilization.

Al-Kurdi Museum houses more than 100,000 artifacts, some of which are at least 200 years old. There are displays of old prints of the Holy Qur’an, manuscripts, books, coins and paper money from 140 countries, home utensils, ancient wooden artifacts, stamps, pictures, maps, newspapers and magazines.

The museum also contains various pavilions showcasing clothes, utensils, crafts, communication devices and audiovisual equipment, in addition to a number of old models of classic iron and wood cars of various shapes. There is also an area featuring weapons including rifles, pistols, swords, daggers, janbiyas, spears, gunpowder, knights’ clothes and belts of ammunition.

Kurdi said that he started his heritage museum project by collecting postage stamps from post offices, the Philatelic and Numismatic Society, and extracting them from letters. It then developed into collecting old coins and paper notes.

 


Smart tech aids lifesaving care for Hajj pilgrim

King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah. (SPA)
Updated 07 June 2025
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Smart tech aids lifesaving care for Hajj pilgrim

  • After stabilization, she was equipped with a smartwatch linked to the Seha Virtual Hospital system for remote monitoring, enabling her to complete her pilgrimage safely

MAKKAH: A Moroccan pilgrim who had suffered a “severe” heart attack was admitted to King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah, where she received “urgent care supported by smartwatch technology and continuous virtual monitoring,” the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The hospital, part of the Makkah Health Cluster, reported that the patient also suffered from chronic conditions including hypertension and diabetes.

She “underwent cardiac catheterization, during which a drug-eluting stent was placed in the left anterior descending artery,” the SPA reported.

After stabilization, she was equipped with a smartwatch linked to the Seha Virtual Hospital system for remote monitoring, enabling her to complete her pilgrimage safely.

Later, in Mina, the smartwatch detected abnormal readings as the patient experienced chest pain again, triggering an alert. The virtual care team directed her to Mina Al-Jisr Hospital, where she was evaluated and admitted for observation. Once stable, she was discharged with a treatment plan and continued virtual follow-up.

This case “illustrates the strength of Saudi Arabia’s digital health infrastructure during Hajj and reflects the Ministry of Health’s progress toward Vision 2030, prioritizing high-quality, smart healthcare for pilgrims,” the SPA wrote.

 


Nusuk app guides more than 35k pilgrims on Eid Al-Adha

Updated 07 June 2025
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Nusuk app guides more than 35k pilgrims on Eid Al-Adha

  • Available in 10 languages, the app offers more than 120 digital services to support pilgrims’ arrival and rituals

MAKKAH: The Nusuk app — developed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, played a “key role” on the first day of Eid Al-Adha, helping to guide more than 35,000 Hajj pilgrims, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The app “highlights the ministry’s commitment to using technology for smooth pilgrim movement and effective crowd management at the holy sites, reflecting integrated technical and operational services during Hajj,” the SPA wrote.

Available in 10 languages, the app offers more than 120 digital services to support pilgrims’ arrival and rituals. With direct links to 25 government agencies and 10 private sector entities, Nusuk — a part of the ministry’s digital-transformation drive in line with Vision 2030 — “has become a comprehensive platform for the pilgrim journey,” the SPA reported.

For this year’s Hajj, the ministry added more than 30 new services to the app, including Nusuk AI — a digital assistant that provides guidance and responds to pilgrims’ inquiries via voice and text in multiple languages.

 


Saudi crown prince urges international community to end Israeli aggression in Gaza

Updated 07 June 2025
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Saudi crown prince urges international community to end Israeli aggression in Gaza

  • Prince Mohammed made the comments during a speech to dignitaries and officials marking Eid Al-Adha in Mina

MINA: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday reaffirmed “the importance of the international community’s role in ending the disastrous consequences” of Israel’s “aggression” in Gaza.

He made the comments during a speech to dignitaries and officials marking Eid Al-Adha in Mina, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

“The suffering of our brothers in Palestine continues as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression, he said.

“We reaffirm the importance of the international community’s role in ending the disastrous consequences of this aggression, protecting innocent civilians, and working toward a new reality in which Palestine can enjoy peace in accordance with international legitimacy and relevant resolutions.”

The crown prince was speaking during a meeting with Eid Al-Adha well-wishers at the Royal Court in Mina Palace.

“God Almighty has honored this country with the service of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, including pilgrims, Umrah performers and other guests,” he said, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia places this sacred duty at the forefront of its priorities, harnessing all its capabilities to serve the guests of God and ensuring that they are able to perform their rituals with ease and comfort.

The crown prince reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to fulfilling this responsibility, recognizing both the great honor and the immense trust it entails.

“We ask God Almighty to perpetuate security and stability in our country, in all Muslim countries and across the world,” he said.

“May He accept the Hajj of the pilgrims to the House of God and return them safely to their families.”


MWL chief meets Syria’s Awqaf minister

Updated 07 June 2025
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MWL chief meets Syria’s Awqaf minister

  • They discussed a variety of topics of common interest

RIYADH: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, met with the Syrian Arab Republic’s Minister of Awqaf Mohammad Abu Al-hair Shukri to discuss “a variety of topics of common interest,” the MWL wrote in a post on X on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Dr. Abdullatif Al-Alsheikh recently met with the Malaysian delegation of Islamic leaders participating in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

 

 


Saudi Crown Prince meets Maldivian, Mauritanian presidents to discuss partnership opportunities

Updated 07 June 2025
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Saudi Crown Prince meets Maldivian, Mauritanian presidents to discuss partnership opportunities

  • Two leaders exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings and discussed ways to strengthen relations

MINA: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Saturday with President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives at the Royal Court in Mina Palace, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two leaders exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings and discussed ways to strengthen relations and expand cooperation between their countries across various fields, SPA added.

The meeting reflected ongoing efforts to bolster Saudi-Maldivian ties and explore new avenues for partnership.

A number of senior Saudi officials attended the meeting, including Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region; Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports; Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, Minister of Interior; Prince Khalid bin Salman, Minister of Defense; and Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

From the Maldivian side, the delegation included several ministers including Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel.

The high-level talks come as Saudi Arabia continues to deepen engagement with nations across South Asia, in line with its broader diplomatic and economic outreach initiatives.

Also on Saturday, Prince Mohammed held talks with President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.

Prince Mohammed held talks with President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. (SPA)

They also exchanged congratulations on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha, in addition to discussing overall relations and ways to enhance them in various fields, SPA reported.