In celebration of International Museum Day 2025, the National Museum of Saudi Arabia will host a three-day cultural program from May 15 to 17 under the theme "The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities," aimed at strengthening cultural identity and supporting sustainable development, in line with the Year of Handicrafts.
The program highlights the role of museums as key drivers of local economies by creating new job opportunities and offering educational programs that empower communities. It also emphasizes how museums can lead innovation and creativity by adopting the latest technologies and inspiring positive social change to keep pace with global transformations.
The event will feature a series of panel discussions and dialogue sessions. One session, held in collaboration with the Museums Commission, will bring together Chair of the Board of Directors of the Saudi National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Princess Haifa bint Mansour bin Bandar and Director General of the National Museum Rola Al-Ghrair to discuss the future of museums and their evolving role.
An interactive talk, hosted in partnership with the Royal Institute for Traditional Arts (WRTH), will explore ways to integrate Saudi folk tales and performing arts into museum experiences that combine learning and entertainment, while enhancing their appeal to younger generations.
A separate session, titled "Living Heritage in Rapidly Changing Communities," organized with the Heritage Commission, will address challenges facing intangible cultural heritage and ways to adapt it to evolving lifestyles while ensuring its continuity.
The program will conclude with interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and musical performances reflecting the richness and diversity of traditional Saudi crafts and arts, an exceptional visitor experience that blends discovery, learning, and celebration of living heritage.
These activities reflect the National Museum’s ongoing mission to raise cultural awareness and enhance the role of museums as dynamic platforms for dialogue and societal engagement, linking past, present, and future.
