Museums ready to welcome visitors

Manama

 Heralding the prolific culture and heritage of the Kingdom, museums here are gearing up to welcome visitors during the Eid Holidays. Bahrain National Museum, the Qala’at Al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) Site Museum and the Museum at the Shaikh Salman Bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort in Riffa will be open for visitors from the second day of Eid from 8am to 8pm. 

 Bahrain National Museum possesses a vast collection of Bahrain's ancient archaeological artifacts acquired since 1988, and it covers 6,000 years of Bahrain's history.

 The complex includes three halls devoted to archaeology and the ancient civilisation of the Dilmun, while two other halls depict the culture and lifestyle of Bahrain's pre-industrial past.

 The Natural History Hall, opened in 1993, focuses on the natural environment of Bahrain. This hall features specimens of Bahrain's flora and fauna. Among the exhibits is an actual burial mound, which was transported from its site in the desert and reassembled in the museum. Another feature is a tableau depicting a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh (in which reference to Bahrain is made as the paradise of Dilmun).

 Old Quranic manuscripts, notes on astronomy and historical documents and letters are exhibited in the Documents and Manuscripts Hall. The building was designed by KHR Arkitekter, of Denmark. The building contains nine major galleries, educational hall, gift shop and a cafeteria, in addition to administrative offices, laboratories and warehouses for the conservation of holdings and parking. 

 The Museum at the Shaikh Salman Bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort in Riffa documents the history and traditions of the ruling Al Khalifa family. The interactive permanent exhibition is installed in a free-standing pavilion built within the larger courtyard of the Fort and designed to highlight the historical architectural features of the Fort.

 Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site Museum

Opened in February 2008, the Qala’at Al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) Site Museum seeks to maintain the ancient features of the site as well as document the archaeological periods by preserving the artefacts discovered at the site. The museum is located on the northern coast of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and is surrounded by a picturesque seascape and lush greenery.

 The museum’s collection showcases five different historical periods, which are arranged chronologically, each within its own separate gallery. The three-dimensional design concept of Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site Museum covers two floors and reflects a strong continuation between its interior and exterior spaces.

 The design also allows its rear sea-facing facade to open a direct path from the heart of the village to the shoreline.  Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site Museum is situated across from the historic Qala’at Al-Bahrain, one of the most important historic political and military forts in the GCC region.

 The fort is part of the Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.