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Abdul Raouf Hassan Khalil Museum

Local and International Heritage in the Heart of Jeddah

Makkah

Abdul Raouf Hassan Khalil Museum in Jeddah features diverse heritage buildings that reflect aspects of Saudi, Islamic, and global culture. It houses thousands of rare artifacts that narrate civilization stories.

Nestled north of King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, on Al-Mathaf Street, next to Buqshan Mosque in Al-Andalus district, Abdul Raouf Hassan Khalil Museum was established by Mr. Abdul Raouf Hassan Khalil.

One of the most distinctive features of this museum is that it consists of a collection of buildings: the Mosque, the Citadel Facade, the Saudi Arabian Heritage House, the Islamic Heritage House, the World Heritage House, and the General Heritage Exhibition. These architectural units display thousands of exhibits.

Regarding the details of these sections, the Saudi Arabian Heritage House comprises numerous areas, such as: the Reception Area, the Prayer Area, the Facade, the Ornate Balconies, the Manuscripts Chamber, the Stamps and Currency Chamber, door and ceiling carpentry, Bedouin seating areas, urban seating areas, annexes, collectibles, the Clothing Exhibition, traditional crafts, and the tent (Bait Al-Sha’ar). The daily life features and the material heritage of Saudi society are reflected in the finest details within this house.

As for the Islamic Heritage House, it contains Eastern and Maghrebi Islamic seating areas and columns. It also includes halls displaying Islamic artifacts from various eras and diverse raw materials, such as metals, glass, ceramics, pottery, and wood. Additionally, weapons, ornaments, jewelry, and beauty tools enrich the displays, offering visitors a comprehensive visual journey through the diversity and artistic splendor of Islamic civilization.

Moving to the General Heritage Exhibition, the visitor finds displayed collectibles dating back to multiple time periods, and made of stone, marble, gypsum, pottery, glass, or rock crystal. Others are made of gold, silver, bronze, copper, or precious stones, in addition to a collection of coins and weapons. These periods extend from the Stone Age to the present day.

Regarding the World Heritage House, the following international artistic styles are displayed: Ancient styles, Islamic style, European style, and Asian style.

Regrettably, this museum endured a devastating fire in 1423 AH / 2002 CE, severely damaging many of its cherished exhibits.

Today, this museum constitutes a living heritage and cultural symbol in the city of Jeddah. It takes its visitors on an enjoyable journey through time, between the corridors of history and Arab and international civilizations.