عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

Spouse of Saudi Crown Prince Announces Launch of Misk Heritage Museum 'Asaan' in Diriyah 

The museum, set to open in the coming years in the heart of historical Diriyah aims to become a global cultural hub celebrating both tangible and intangible Saudi heritage. (SPA)
The museum, set to open in the coming years in the heart of historical Diriyah aims to become a global cultural hub celebrating both tangible and intangible Saudi heritage. (SPA)
TT
TT

Spouse of Saudi Crown Prince Announces Launch of Misk Heritage Museum 'Asaan' in Diriyah 

The museum, set to open in the coming years in the heart of historical Diriyah aims to become a global cultural hub celebrating both tangible and intangible Saudi heritage. (SPA)
The museum, set to open in the coming years in the heart of historical Diriyah aims to become a global cultural hub celebrating both tangible and intangible Saudi heritage. (SPA)

Princess Sara bint Mashhour bin Abdulaziz, spouse of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, announced the launch of the programming for the Misk Heritage Museum "Asaan," reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

The museum, set to open in the coming years in the heart of historical Diriyah—one of the Kingdom's most important heritage sites—aims to become a global cultural hub celebrating both tangible and intangible Saudi heritage. Supported by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, "Misk," the museum will significantly contribute to cultural sustainability through its diverse programs and activities.

As a non-profit organization, the museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse heritage.

It will feature a wide range of heritage artifacts and collectibles displayed in interactive exhibitions and inspiring spaces, offering visitors immersive experiences that take them on a journey through time. These experiences aim to foster a deep connection to cultural roots, making heritage vibrant, relevant, and profound for both current and future generations.

The museum's mission aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, emphasizing cultural sustainability and the preservation of Saudi identity.

At the announcement, Princess Sara bint Mashhour bin Abdulaziz, Chairperson of the Asaan, stated: "Our goal is to cultivate a generation that takes pride in its heritage and actively works to preserve and revitalize it. Asaan will showcase the Kingdom's rich legacy, including artifacts, customs, and societal values. This commitment reflects our national identity, connects our past with the present, and ensures that our heritage is sustained for future generations."

Asaan will span over 40,000 square meters and feature an innovative design by Zaha Hadid Architects. The design, inspired by traditional Najdi architectural styles, will reflect the Kingdom's identity while embodying modern creativity.

The museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse heritage. (SPA)

Upon its opening, the museum will house thousands of heritage artifacts and collectibles that tell vivid stories of the past and provide insights into the ways of life experienced by Saudi generations throughout history.

In collaboration with entities affiliated with the Misk Foundation, the museum aims to benefit from global expertise and establish partnerships to ensure integrated efforts in cultural preservation. These collaborations will strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a global leader in investing in its cultural heritage.

The museum will host various spaces, including permanent exhibitions, art galleries, and an arts courtyard where visitors can connect with Saudi Arabia's rich and multifaceted heritage. It will also feature "Asaan’s Majlis," a space dedicated to fostering dialogue, sharing ideas, and hosting workshops focused on reviving heritage.

With conservation labs and interactive learning programs, the museum will create immersive experiences that bring the Kingdom’s history and culture to life in dynamic and accessible ways.

The Asaan Museum is set to become a key landmark in Saudi Arabia's cultural landscape. Through its partnership with the Misk Foundation, Asaan will leverage global expertise to further boost the Kingdom's reputation as a leader in cultural heritage preservation and celebration.

Princess Sara’s unwavering commitment to preserving Saudi heritage is evident in the innovative and contemporary approaches championed by Asaan. She actively supports cultural programs that revive Saudi heritage through artistic and social initiatives. She is also dedicated to empowering individuals, particularly youth and people with disabilities, by enhancing their educational and professional skills. These efforts align with the broader goals of the non-profit sector under the framework of Saudi Vision 2030.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

International Conference on Saudi Arabia’s Efforts to Counter Intellectual Deviations Kicks Off Monday

The Saudi flag is seen at a site in the city of Jazan (SPA).
The Saudi flag is seen at a site in the city of Jazan (SPA).
TT
TT

International Conference on Saudi Arabia’s Efforts to Counter Intellectual Deviations Kicks Off Monday

The Saudi flag is seen at a site in the city of Jazan (SPA).
The Saudi flag is seen at a site in the city of Jazan (SPA).

Under the patronage of Governor of Madinah Region Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the "International Conference on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Efforts to Counter Intellectual Deviations" will begin Monday.

The event is organized by the Islamic University of Madinah, with the participation of a group of scholars, officials, researchers, and specialists from inside and outside the Kingdom, SPA reported.

The conference will be held on September 27 and 28.

The conference will feature 56 peer-reviewed scientific papers, nine dialogue sessions, and 10 accompanying exhibitions addressing a range of issues related to the causes and effects of intellectual deviations and ways to combat them.

Topics will also include national initiatives to combat extremism; the role of sound faith, mental health, and community institutions in intellectual prevention; as well as the use of modern technologies, artificial intelligence, and social media platforms to enhance awareness and address contemporary intellectual challenges.

The conference aims to enrich scientific dialogue, exchange expertise, and develop recommendations that strengthen national and international efforts to build societies that are more aware and capable of confronting intellectual deviations.

Culture

King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in China Wins Two Awards

Convening representatives and library specialists from across China, the conference addressed emerging sector trends. SPA
Convening representatives and library specialists from across China, the conference addressed emerging sector trends. SPA
TT
TT

King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in China Wins Two Awards

Convening representatives and library specialists from across China, the conference addressed emerging sector trends. SPA
Convening representatives and library specialists from across China, the conference addressed emerging sector trends. SPA

The King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University won a first prize and an award of excellence during the 12th National Conference of Foreign Language University Library Alliance, hosted by Tianjin Foreign Studies University in China from September 21 to 24.

The branch earned first prize for a professional initiative focused on collaborative service delivery between library staff and specialized academic faculty.

It also received an award of excellence for a research study examining models of institutional partnership between foreign-language libraries and academic researchers, underscoring its role in integrating scholarly inquiry with modern library services.

Convening representatives and library specialists from across China, the conference addressed emerging sector trends, including artificial intelligence integration, digital transformation, research support, and the expansion of smart library ecosystems.

The branch's participation reflects its role in deepening Saudi-Chinese intellectual exchange and fostering institutional partnerships across the 27-member library alliance.

Culture

Melania Trump Takes China’s First Lady on a Museum Outing That’s Watched for Diplomacy and Style

First lady of China Peng Liyuan and US first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with children during a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art from Director of the museum Chase Robinson in Washington, DC, US, September 24, 2026. (Reuters)
First lady of China Peng Liyuan and US first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with children during a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art from Director of the museum Chase Robinson in Washington, DC, US, September 24, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Melania Trump Takes China’s First Lady on a Museum Outing That’s Watched for Diplomacy and Style

First lady of China Peng Liyuan and US first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with children during a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art from Director of the museum Chase Robinson in Washington, DC, US, September 24, 2026. (Reuters)
First lady of China Peng Liyuan and US first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with children during a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art from Director of the museum Chase Robinson in Washington, DC, US, September 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan on Thursday toured one of the largest Asian art museums in the United States, celebrating cultural ties between the US and China during a high-profile diplomatic visit to Washington.

Leaving their husbands behind at the White House, the first ladies visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in a display of soft power that united two figures known for fusing style and diplomacy. It was the first public meeting in nearly a decade between the spouses, one a former fashion model and the other a famed soprano.

The first ladies arrived to crowds gathered on sidewalks across from the museum, many waving Chinese and American flags.

Inside the museum, the first ladies toured the Peacock Room, a gilded green, blue and gold dining room that was once housed in a London mansion before opening to the public in Washington in 1923. The room was created by American artist James McNeill Whistler.

They also paused to look at a stone disk from ancient China, along with “Princess from the Land of Porcelain,” an oil painting by Whistler hanging in the Peacock Room and featuring a kimono-clad woman standing and holding a fan. Later, youngsters from Hope Chinese School serenaded the women with renditions of famous Chinese folk songs, “Song and Smile” and “Jasmine Flower.”

The meeting drew global attention, featuring two powerful and glamorous women from the world's two biggest economies.

“They definitely add to the grandiosity and the symbolic significance of this trip,” said Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank.

Every interaction between the first ladies was scrutinized for clues about the standing between their countries, Sun said. Also closely watched were their style choices, which are followed in fashion circles. Melania Trump wore a black tweed jacket and skirt from Alexander McQueen, while Peng wore a qipao-style dress with a traditional collar adorned with a silver flower.

Their last public meeting was in 2017, when President Donald Trump stopped in Beijing during a tour of Asia in his first term. During that trip, the first ladies shared tea at the Palace Museum and visited a school where students performed songs and dances. Melania Trump did not attend her husband’s visit to Beijing earlier this year.

Trump and Peng approach their roles differently

Peng, 63, has embraced a more public role than her predecessors, who rarely attended state visits and usually stayed in the background. Melania Trump, who is 56, keeps a lower profile, often preferring to work behind the scenes.

They split off from the White House on Thursday while Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held private talks, touring the museum after a White House welcome ceremony and before a lavish state dinner.

Peng’s last trip to the White House was in 2015, when President Barack Obama hosted Xi. A noted star before her husband's rise, Peng ascended to national fame in the 1980s as a military singer, performing patriotic songs in full dress uniform.

As the children's choir sang on Thursday, Peng quietly mouthed some of the lyrics and later clapped along with the boys and girls. At one point, she turned and shared a laugh with Melania Trump.

Peng is also a public welfare advocate, taking on roles that have little precedent for her position in China. She has been an official antismoking ambassador in China, and in 2011 she was appointed as the World Health Organization goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

She has been appearing more in public recently following a period in which she was less visible on the global stage because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a cutback in diplomatic trips by her husband.

Asian art museum houses thousands of objects

The Smithsonian's Asian art museum, located along the National Mall, has been a target of the Trump administration’s attempt to eliminate what it sees as liberal ideology from the institution's museums.

The White House last year ordered a review of Smithsonian museums to make sure exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism” and “remove divisive or partisan narratives.”

The Asian art museum features more than 46,000 objects dating from the Neolithic period to the present, according to its website. It has been part of a broader Smithsonian effort to return stolen or unethically obtained objects to their home countries. Last year, the museum returned fragments of a silk manuscript from China that dated to more than 2,000 years ago and had been looted from a tomb.

In a Fox News Channel interview on Wednesday, Melania Trump said she was taking Peng to the museum to show the “connection with the culture, with us and China.”

When Peng visited the White House in 2015, she joined first lady Michelle Obama at a naming ceremony for a giant panda at the National Zoo. The ceremony also featured songs sung by preschoolers at a local Chinese immersion school. The panda, Bei Bei, was later returned to China in 2019 to enter a breeding program.