JEDDAH: The Red Sea Museum marked International Museum Day on Monday with a vibrant, family-focused program designed to turn the galleries into spaces of exploration.
Throughout the day, visitors engaged with hands-on activities inspired by the Red Sea’s history, biodiversity, pilgrimage routes and maritime heritage.
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Hammad, CEO of the Museums Commission, told Arab News: “International Museum Day serves as an important reminder of the role museums play in preserving and celebrating the stories, identities, and shared heritage that connect communities across generations.
“In Saudi Arabia, museums are increasingly becoming dynamic cultural spaces that invite discovery, dialogue, and deeper engagement with the Kingdom’s rich history and evolving cultural landscape.”
He said collaboration was vital: “As the cultural sector continues to evolve, International Museum Day also highlights the importance of collaboration between museums, artists, academics, and cultural institutions in enriching public understanding and strengthening cultural participation.”
The program featured six pop-up creative stations spread across the museum’s galleries.
Each station invited children and families to engage with curated activities using simple materials such as drawing sheets, printed cards, coloring tools, masks and educational visuals drawn from the museum’s own resources.
The experience began at the ground floor with “Al-Bunt,” showcasing traditional Red Sea architecture and materials, including Mangaby stone and wood, and drawings of historic buildings.
Another exhibit, “You Are the Artist” placed a drawing station in front of a maritime anchor, encouraging children to observe and interpret museum objects through sketching, with their work later displayed in the Discovery Room.
Further stations took visitors beneath the surface of the Red Sea, where “Underwater World” introduced marine biodiversity through educational videos and coloring activities inspired by sea creatures.
Also, “Murjan & Sunken Treasures” guided children through the temporary exhibition using storytelling-led exploration and interactive brochures.
Likewise, “Sacred Cities” connected visitors to themes of pilgrimage and movement across the Red Sea, linking cultural journeys with hands-on creative expression.
The day concluded in the Discovery Room with hourly storytelling sessions titled “In the Heart of the Red Sea,” where educators invited families to listen, imagine and reflect on the region’s layered history and environment.
Hammad Saleh, who attended the program said the experience offered a refreshing way for his children to engage with culture and history noting that “the activities made the museum feel alive for my children.
“They were not just looking at objects, they were interacting with them, asking questions and creating their own stories.”
Another visitor, Maria Rehman, added that the storytelling and stations helped bring the themes together in a meaningful way.
She said: “Each stop connected to the next station, and by the end of the visit my family felt like we had travelled through different parts of the Red Sea’s history in a very simple and enjoyable way.
“It was definitely a learning experience and I am glad we are getting a chance to explore it with the children.”
