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Saudi Arabia’s ‘Houses of Culture’ Redefine Libraries, Enrich Local Communities

Libraries Commission CEO Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Asim (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libraries Commission CEO Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Asim (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia’s ‘Houses of Culture’ Redefine Libraries, Enrich Local Communities

Libraries Commission CEO Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Asim (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Libraries Commission CEO Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Asim (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Culture Ministry’s Libraries Commission opened another “House of Culture” in one of Asir region’s provinces on Sunday, the second to open this month after one in the Eastern Region.

It’s part of a plan to revamp public libraries into vibrant cultural hubs in the area.

With Saudi Arabia’s cultural scene evolving since the launch of its National Culture Strategy, institutions are keen on embedding culture as a lifestyle.

They're focusing on enhancing the Kingdom’s library sector, with the first two cultural houses opening out of 153 planned across Saudi Arabia. These spaces aim to go beyond book storage, becoming platforms to uplift local communities’ quality of life.

In mid-June 2020, the Culture Ministry launched an initiative to upgrade public libraries nationwide.

The aim is to turn them into modern cultural hubs that cater to all segments of society, offering knowledge, participation, and interaction opportunities.

This move comes after a field study by the ministry on the status of libraries in Saudi Arabia.

Based on the findings, a development plan stretching until 2030 was crafted. The plan aims to establish 153 public libraries across all regions, all following the concept of “House of Culture,” blending library functions with cultural engagement.

On his part, Libraries Commission CEO Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Asim highlighted the need for a fresh approach to libraries.

He emphasized the importance of the new House of Culture concept, which aims to create interactive platforms serving diverse community needs, from education to entertainment and entrepreneurship.

Al-Asim underscored the significance of these cultural houses for Saudi Arabia’s social and cultural sectors, aligning with the goals of “Vision 2030.”

He expressed optimism that these initiatives will bring tangible benefits to society, encouraging investment in hobbies and interests, and fostering a vibrant cultural and social scene.

The cultural houses have diverse sections, including learning areas, a kids’ theater, a main stage, and a library with reading spaces.

Each house also offers innovation and tech spaces, along with essential facilities like prayer rooms, meeting areas, printing and computer services, a café, and a store.

These houses are part of the “Quality of Life” program, a key aspect of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 national transformation plan.

They aim to upgrade cultural infrastructure, establish cultural hubs, and improve public libraries to boost Saudi engagement in arts and culture as part of the Kingdom’s long-term vision.

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Culture

Archaeologists Find Huge Viking Textile Production Site in Denmark

Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
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Archaeologists Find Huge Viking Textile Production Site in Denmark

Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)

Archaeologists have discovered a huge Viking Age textile production site in Denmark that dates back more than 1,000 years and underlines the sophistication of Viking society.

Experts from the Moesgaard Museum said this week that the sprawling 100,000-square-meter (more than 1 million-square-foot) site features an area for processing flax as well as more than 80 pit houses — semi-submerged huts that were used as workshops and dwellings in Viking times.

It's located in Søften, 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, on the Jutland peninsula. The site dates back to the late Iron Age and early Viking Age, sometime between A.D. 600 and 950.

Archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, who led the 10-month dig, said that “we have a clear focus on textile production, which makes this settlement different from other kinds of settlements of this period.”

“We have spindle whorls, we have weight looms; that tells us about what has been going on in the pit houses,” said Reher-Langberg, adding that archaeologists had also discovered silver coins, glass beads and pottery.

Experts found separate areas for production and crafts, plus a single residential home, which suggests work was overseen by a powerful individual with control over resources and production.

Reher-Langberg said that, over the last three decades, people with metal detectors had unearthed several silver coins in the area. A trial excavation 1½ years ago, before the start of construction work on a new road and industrial area, then piqued archaeologists’ interest.

“We could see in the trenches that it just keeps on going, with these houses and pit houses and textile production features,” Reher-Langberg said.

Moesgaard Museum historian Kasper Andersen said that the discovery at Søften is “another piece in the puzzle” to understanding the local economic, cultural and political structure at the time.

During the Viking era, Aarhus — then known as Aros — functioned as a center for royalty and international trade. And last year, archaeologists discovered another Viking site in Lisbjerg, just 4 kilometers (2½ miles) away, that was likely home to members of the nobility.

Goods and resources were likely brought from the countryside and settlements like Søften, before entering an extensive international trade network, Andersen said.

“When you have a production site of this scale, it cannot be only because of the local area. It needs to be understood as part of a greater network, a much bigger international perspective,” Andersen said.

Reher-Langberg hopes future carbon dating and pollen analysis might answer some lingering questions, for instance about what kind of textile production went on at the site.

During the Viking Age, considered to run from A.D. 793 to 1066, Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raids, colonization, conquest and trade throughout Europe, even reaching North America.

Andersen said that the discovery at Søften shows that Vikings were “not just simple, uncivilized, barbaric hordes, rambling about Europe.”

“To have a place like Søften, you need a very well-organized society with a production line, and you also need a market to have the production,” he said. “The textiles from Søften go into a market that’s much bigger than just the local area.”

Culture

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Visits Ameen Rihani Museum

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
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Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Visits Ameen Rihani Museum

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari visited on Monday the Ameen Rihani Museum in the town of Freike in Matn District, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The ambassador was received by members of the Rihani family, led by the museum's curator, Ameen Albert Rihani, who welcomed him and praised the historic relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

They recalled the historic meeting between King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and Lebanese writer and historian Ameen Rihani in 1922.

During the visit, Al-Dosari toured the museum's historical and literary sections and viewed the exhibition marking the centenary of the book “Rihaniyyat”.

Culture

On World Camel Day, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Celebrates Camel Heritage and Reinforces Its Cultural Identity

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
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On World Camel Day, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Celebrates Camel Heritage and Reinforces Its Cultural Identity

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)

World Camel Day, observed annually on June 22, serves as a global occasion to reflect on the enduring relationship between humans and camels throughout history.

The day highlights camels' economic contributions, their role in supporting food security and sustainable development, and their cultural significance, which extends beyond geographical boundaries and has made them a deeply rooted symbol in the collective memory of peoples worldwide, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. This is reflected in the significant attention devoted to the sector through specialized initiatives and events, support for camel owners, and efforts to preserve and sustain this heritage as one of the Kingdom's most prominent cultural assets.

Across AlUla, rock art and inscriptions dating back thousands of years tell the story of the close relationship between humans and camels. (SPA)

Across AlUla, rock art and inscriptions dating back thousands of years tell the story of the close relationship between humans and camels. These animals contributed to the prosperity of trade routes, facilitated mobility, and supported the stability of successive communities.

Camels remain an essential part of AlUla's heritage and a testament to the deep connection between people and their environment since ancient times.

Today, camels in AlUla are more than witnesses to history. They are an integral part of the region's cultural and sporting landscape and a key element of the tourism experience offered by the land of civilizations.

Through a contemporary vision that combines the authenticity of history with the aspirations of the future, AlUla continues to showcase this rich heritage, ensuring that camels remain among the most enduring symbols in the story of people and place across generations.