With a long historic past and rich culture, Jeddah is a must-visit city to experience original Saudi heritage. Museums in Jeddah are the best place to explore the history of the region. Tourists worldwide visit these museums to know more about the Saudi lineage and tribal communities that lived in pre-Islamic and post-Islamic eras. The museums also boast exceptional architecture with a mix of tribal structures and modern building marvels to provide an all-around experience.
8 Top museums in Jeddah
1. Al Tayebat Museum
The building of the museum comprises numerous structural elements, all of which are associated with traditional Hejazi architectural styles. Al Tayebat City Museum is now one of the city’s most famous museums, with a renowned collection of pre-Islamic artifacts. There is a wonderful tiny mosque inside the premises that is a piece of art in itself. Tourists can purchase souvenirs from one of many antique stores that line the museum’s façade. The museum contains four levels and about 300 rooms with various displays that take tourists through Saudi Arabia’s history. It features centuries-old oil paintings, rock sculptures, embroideries, traditional Arabic clothing, ceramics, etc.
Location: Raihanat Al Jazirah, Al Faisaliyah District
Timings: From Saturday to Thursday: 8 am – 12 pm, & 5 pm – 9 pm
Al Tayebat City Museum ticket price: SR 80 for adult
Hotels near Al Tayebat City Museum: Dunes Hotel Jeddah, Casablanca Hotel, Hyatt House Jeddah Sari Street
2. Khuzam Palace
The museum is located in the old Khuzam Palace in Jeddah’s Al-Nuzlah al-Yamaniyah district. Mohammed Bin Awad Bin Laden oversaw the construction of the edifice to serve as a royal residence from 1928 to 1932. The museum’s collection includes artifacts from the Neolithic Period ascribed to the Acheulean era of the nearby Wadi Fatimah. Some pieces belong to many pre-Islamic civilizations. Whereas, several artifacts depict the emergence of Islam. Additionally, the museum houses relics from the imperial family’s stay at the castle. A supplementary collection contains anthropological artifacts that depict the region’s contemporary culture.
Location: Al-Nazlah Al-Yamaniyah
Hotels near Khuzam Palace: Red Sea Palace Hotel, Kenana Hotel Jeddah, Radisson Blu Jeddah Plaza
3. Jeddah Our Days of Bliss Magad Museum
Jeddah Our Days of Bliss Magad Museum is just a few meters away from the Bait Al Naseef. It offers an insight into the lifestyle of people who lived in Jeddah during the mid-twentieth century. This museum uses everyday artifacts like dried food, bottles and cans of soft beverages, record players, and even some of the first Saudi coins to convey the narrative of that era. The museum is great for people who want to know more about the life of their ancestors in Jeddah during and before the unification of the kingdom.
Location: Suq Al Alawi, Al Balad District
Hotels near Jeddah Our Days of Bliss Magad Museum: Al Khayam Hotel, Elegant Hotel, Al Murooj Kareem Hotel
4. Jeddah Sculpture Museum
In the 1970s, Mohammed Said Farsi, Jeddah’s mayor, launched the ‘Jeddah Beautification Project’. He purchased and housed around 450 sculptures. These included notable pieces by contemporary artists such as Thomas Ford, Joan Miro, and Alexander Calder, among many others. The sculpture collection is one of the world’s largest and most diversified public art collections. These range from traditional Arabic motifs to abstract and massive works. Because of the severe local environment, several of the artworks were beginning to deteriorate by the 2000s. As a result, Art Jameel, in partnership with the Jeddah Municipality, chose to rehabilitate some of the artworks in the museum. Jeddah Sculpture museum is spread in a seven-square-kilometer park along Jeddah’s central Corniche, colloquially known as ‘Al Hamraa.’
Location: Jeddah Corniche, Al Hamra District
Jeddah Sculpture Museum ticket price: Free
Hotels near Jeddah Sculpture Museum: The Venue Jeddah Corniche, Elite Jeddah Hotel, Jeddah Hilton
5. Municipality Museum
The structure that now contains Bait Al Balad was constructed in the early twentieth century and served as the headquarters of the British Legion until the 1930s. The Jeddah Municipality repaired the headquarters and transformed it into a museum. Today, it contains antiques both from the Islamic as well as pre-Islamic periods, including furnishings, handicrafts, and tools. The museum is located in Al Balad, one of Jeddah’s oldest localities, that date from the seventh century. The neighborhood’s unique architecture, including the Municipality Museum, stands apart from the rest of the modern city.
6. Museum of Science and Technology in Islam
The Museum of Science and Technology in Islam combines science, culture, and Islamic heritage. The museum honors the Muslim academics’ scientific and technical accomplishments during Islam’s first Golden Age (650-1650). Its exhibits highlight the importance of scientific understanding in earlier Islamic civilizations. The museum has sections dedicated to Arab-developed contemporary technology. Further, it beautifully showcases the evolution of science and technology in Saudi Arabia.
Location: Engineering and Science Hall, Building 19, Academic Campus, Thuwal
Timings: Sunday to Thursday: 9 am – 5 pm
Hotels Near Museum of Science and Technology in Islam: Sunrise Apartments, Bay La Sun Hotel & Marina
7. Nassif House Museum
Nassif House is a historical landmark as well as a museum. The 106-room home was built in the late 19th century for the governor of Jeddah. Eventually, it became the headquarters for King Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the father of modern Saudi Arabia, who resided there following the city’s invasion in 1925. The home was converted into a library in 1975. However, the library’s 16,000 books are currently housed at King Abdulaziz University. The seven-story Nassif House Museum is now worth seeing for its architecture. It’s Ottoman Turkish design, with varied chambers arranged around labyrinthine hallways has huge windows with a wooden lattice, and the tiles have Islamic calligraphy.
Location: Al Dhahab, Al-Balad
Nassif House Museum ticket price: Free
Timings: From Monday to Saturday: 8 am – 11:55 pm, and on Sunday: 8 am – 12 pm, 6 pm – 12 am
Hotel near Nassif House Museum: Red Sea Palace, Sahari Hotel, Prime Almina Hotel
Must Read: Nassif House Museum: The Residence Of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud
8. Darat Safeya Biznagr Museum
Darat Safeya Biznagr Museum is a beautiful art museum in Jeddah housing some of the best artworks from the Hejazi and Saudi Heritage. The museum displays one of the most famous painting in Arabian Penninsula and beyond, The Al Zaboon along with numerous others. The painting is also compared to Mona Lisa with the distinction of naming it as Hejazi Mona Lisa. Another famous paintings include The Working Man Building The Land. Further, visitors can immerse in the exclusive library with audio-visual material to provide insight into the culture of Saudi Arabia.
Location: King Abdullah Rd, Al-Baghdadiyah Al-Gharbiyah
Hotels near Darat Safeya Biznagr Museum: Crown Town Hotel, Royal Casablanca, Grand Saha
Jeddah precedes contemporary Arabia in terms of history. As one of the Gulf’s earliest shipping ports and the entrance to holy Makkah city, Jeddah has welcomed global tourists for centuries. Tourism helped to shape the metropolitan area into the diverse cultural melting pot it is today. Tourists can visit the Museums in Jeddah for a fascinating insight into Jeddah’s 2300-year history and a wonderfully curated picture of the city’s multicultural past.
Suggested Read: Best Historical Places In Jeddah: Mosques, Museums And Markets
Museums In Jeddah FAQs
Which are the best museums in Jeddah?
Al Tayebat Museum, Khuzam Palace Museum, Nassif House Museum are some of the most visited museums in Jeddah.
How many rooms are there in the Tayebat Museum?
There are around 300 rooms distributed in four floors of Tayebat Museum.
Is it worthwhile to visit the Nassif House Museum?
Yes, Nassif House Museum is an iconic landmark due to its architecture.
When should one visit the Museum of Science and Technology?
One should visit the Museum of Science and Technology during weekdays to avoid crowds.
What is the location of the historical Khuzam Palace?
The museum is located in the old Khuzam Palace in Al-Nuzlah al-Yamaniyah district of Jeddah.
