A Private Foundation
The cultural open-mindedness in Jeddah is also reflected in a rather wide range of museums, collections or galleries. Unfortunately, the associated websites are not always up to date, so you should not rely unreservedly on the opening hours stated there. It is therefore advisable to ask on the spot if and when the respective institutions are open.
But one of these I would definitely like to recommend to you, especially since it is so unusual, great, unique, so exotic in the best sense of the word for “Westerners” – the Tayebat Museum. It is a jewel of a museum!
Today’s Tayebat Museum was once the palace of the late Sheikh Abdul Rauf Khalil, a merchant whose goal was to preserve the rich history of the city and the region. The palace is now open to the public as a museum, presenting a colorful compilation of exhibits assembled to capture the visitor’s imagination to such an extent that the museum is truly a must-see.
What it Shows
The museum displays over four floors thousands of different artifacts, manuscripts, replicas of the Kabah, coins, costumes, calligraphies, weapons, furniture (one of them being depicted above), pottery, interiors, replicas of Bedouin tents and interiors, and …, and …, and …, covering a historical and cultural heritage of the region from about 2,500 years to the present.
With the help of wood, plaster, fabrics and masonry are also exhibited some dwellings, some of which are walk-in, showing the ancient style and their furnishings from earlier times.
The entire surface of the rooms and even all the walls covered with paintings (one of them being depicted above), pictures and explanations are densely used to be able to show this extensive treasure of objects and documents.
The Building
Equally as its presented collection, the building of the museum is remarkable. The design is based on the beautiful and traditional Hejazi architecture. It was built from coral stone blocks from the Red Sea and limestone. The building is said to be about 300 years old, but it is well restored and preserved. In the courtyard, there are windows in the typical style of old Jeddah (Rawasheen), with wood carvings that look like projecting covered and enclosed balconies.
Address: Al-Faysaliah 2, Rehana Al-Jadeerah Street, Jeddah
Opening hours: daily mornings 8am-12pm and evenings 5-9pm
Entrance fees: SAR 80.00 per adult (as of March 2022)
https://goo.gl/maps/
