Saudi commission discusses role of private museums in enriching society

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission organized a virtual open meeting titled “How private museums contribute to enriching society,” the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The meeting, which was attended by specialists, museum owners, and interested individuals, explored the role of private museums and the Museums Commission’s support for owners.

Speakers discussed the role of private museums in enhancing heritage content and their contribution to the overall development of the museum sector.

The meeting covered the commission’s services for cultural and heritage asset owners via the Abde’a platform. This included obtaining cultural and private museum licenses, meeting commission requirements, and addressing essential elements for private museum operation and facility management.

The meeting briefly explained the commission’s role in coordinating between government and private entities to benefit the museum and cultural sector. It also addressed the commission’s partnership with the Tourism Authority for the “Tourist Trail,” enabling the registration of all private museums in the tourism sector database, facilitating access for citizens, tourists, and visitors.

Salem Al-Qahtani, founder of two private museums, shared insights into obtaining licenses and creating enriching visitor experiences. He emphasized the significance of collaboration among societal institutions, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, and cultural and tourism organizations, to enhance the value of private museums in society.

He thanked the Ministry of Culture as the official reference for private museum owners, and praised its role in raising awareness through specialized courses in the museum field. 

Participants also discussed the commission’s future plans for developing the private museum sector. The aim is to facilitate license acquisition for heritage and cultural asset owners and expand the outreach of courses offered.

This meeting is one of the commission’s monthly sessions, focused on explaining its role with private and public museums, addressing the sector’s status, offering insights for development, discussing challenges and capabilities, and showcasing success stories of Kingdom’s museums.

Since November 2022, the commission has granted 59 licenses to private museums, allowing owners to transform their residences or facilities into private museums. This enables the display of heritage and cultural assets to the public and tourists following global standards, fostering innovative museum experiences.