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

Entry fee: SR 80 for adult

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

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

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

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

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

Timings: From Monday to Saturday: 8 am – 11:55 pm, and on Sunday: 8 am – 12 pm, 6 pm – 12 am

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

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

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Nassif House Museum general information

Location: Al Dhahab, Al-Balad, Jeddah

Timings: The museum remains open from 8 am to 11:55 pm from Monday to Saturday. It opens from 8 am to noon and from 6 pm to midnight on Sundays.

Entry fee: The entry to Nassif House Museum is free for all visitors

Ideal trip duration: It can take 2-3 hours to explore the museum completely

Architecture and design

Nassif House Museum is in the list of the most beautiful architectural highlights of Jeddah, making it a popular tourist destination. The initial design of the museum was created by a talented Turkish architect, giving it a striking Ottoman architectural style. Even though the museum has undergone considerable restorative renovations, it still retains its historical architecture. It is known for its complex layout as well as magnificent structure.

Suggested Read: Best Historical Places In Jeddah: Mosques, Museums And Markets

Layout

Nassif House Museum is a 7-story structure consisting of 106 rooms. With an irregular layout, it has rectangular rooms that are arranged around a massive central hall. It has two entrances: the main one is from the north while another is from the west. In the past, the west entrance was used by women. The front entrance of the house stands on a small raised platform attached to a small flight of stairs. It opens to a massive entry hall, which is connected to the central hall. There are several smaller rooms on the left and right sides of the entrance hall. The west entrance opens directly into the central hall. There is a large stairway opposite the house’s main entrance hall, taking visitors to the upper floors of the house.

Architectural highlights

Flaunting intricate architecture and immense aesthetic appeal, Nassif House Museum is a major center of attraction amongst tourists and locals alike. Its spacious hallways and carved wooden doors boast elaborate Arabic calligraphy, which was originally done by Ottoman Turks. The front side of the building features two large bay windows that span upto two levels over the main door. Over the years, these windows have become a symbol of traditional Jeddah architecture. The museum has cisterns underneath ground floor to store rainwater and keep the temperature of the house’s lower floors down.

Exhibits and display

Nassif House Museum exhibits a wide variety of artifacts and objects from the region’s storied history. It has a remarkable collection of several vintage photographs that take the visitors on a trip to the past. Home to several special and unique exhibits, it has 106 rooms, all of which flaunt breathtaking artwork. It has numerous wall-mounted displays that show ancient maps of the pilgrim routes from various countries like Syria, Yemen, and Egypt.

One of its displays also exhibits an old map showing the migration route of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Additionally, the museum has a wide collection of jewelry, electronic appliances, utensils, and other household objects that were used by people in the old days. Further, Nassif House Museum conducts educational and informative lectures given by historians and experts from around the world. At one time, Muhammad Nassif turned this building into a private library that eventually housed a collection of 16,000 books. Today, these books are a part of the library in King Abdulaziz University.

The museum has numerous written notes and documents from the old rulers of Saudi Arabia. Some of the displays also show personal collections of King Abdulaziz and previous rulers. The exhibits showcase ancient weapons and armors.

Nassif House history

Nassif House Museum’s construction began in 1872 on old Jeddah’s main street called Suq al-Alawi. The construction ended in 1881, and it became the residence of Omar Nassif Efendi, who was not only a member of a prominent merchant family but also Jeddah’s governor at the time. Years later, in December 1925, Abdulaziz Ibn Saud entered the city and stayed at this house after the siege of Jeddah. During his initial stays in Jeddah, Abdulaziz Ibn Saud used the Nassif House Museum as a royal residence and welcomed guests. Until 1975, the house remained under the ownership of the Nassif family.

Eateries near Nassif House Museum

Nassif House Museum enjoys a prime location in the city of Jeddah. Offering easy access to several facilities, it is located in close proximity to a large number of incredible restaurants. Several popular eateries include India Gate Restaurant (2.3 km away), Sapphire Family Restaurant (2.3 km away), and Super 2Go Resto Cafe (2.4 km away).

Known for being Saudi Arabia’s artistic capital, Jeddah is home to dozens of famous museums that pay tribute to the country’s rich heritage, vibrant culture, and storied history. The museums of Jeddah not only preserve and portray the region’s earliest history but also provide tourists with a chance to immerse themselves in the local culture. Nassif House Museum is a famous house in Jeddah featuring old artifacts. Due to its complex layout and beautiful architectural style, it attracts the footfall of tourists and locals alike throughout the year.

Suggested Read: Best Things To Do In Jeddah City To Experience Its Vivid Vibe

Nassif House Museum FAQs

The post Nassif House Museum: The Residence Of King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud appeared first on Zamzam Blogs.