ABSTRACT
In contrast to most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that opened their national museums shortly after independence (e.g. Fujairah Museum in 1970, Dubai Museum and Al-’Ain Museum in 1971, the Oman Museum in 1974 and Qatar National Museum in 1975) (Erskine-Loftus 2010: 20), the Saudi Arabian National Museum opened in 1999 – 67 years after the unication of the Kingdom in 1932 – and it was in fact not the rst museum to be established in the Kingdom. In 1976 a rst museum of archaeology and ethnography was opened in Riyadh with the purpose of “encouraging the scientic examination of the country’s past and its communication to the citizens” (Michael Rice & Company Ltd 1980: 20). Even if this museum was planned as a “prelude to the creation of the National Museum” (Michael Rice & Company Ltd 1980: 20) later on, it did not itself have the presence of a proper national museum. Later in the 1970s, the Ministry of Education took the decision to set up 6 local museums of archaeology and ethnography within 6 of the 13 regional provinces of the Kingdom. The British museum consultancy rm, Michael Rice & Company Ltd, drew up the concept and plans for these museums while also being involved in the conceptual planning, design and installation of the Qatar National Museum (1972-1978) and Oman Museum (1974).
