Culture

UK Proposal to Charge Tourists to Visit Museums Sparks Backlash

Culture FILE PHOTO: People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

UK Proposal to Charge Tourists to Visit Museums Sparks Backlash

Britain is considering introducing entry fees for tourists visiting some of England's most renowned museums, a proposal that has drawn criticism from…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture The artworks are strategically distributed across major streets, public squares, cultural centers, and key urban hubs. SPA

Riyadh Art Unveils 75 Works in Expanding Public Art Collection Across Capital

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, through its “Riyadh Art” program, has unveiled 75 new artworks as part of a growing permanent collection installed across…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture A conservator works on the restoration of gilded moldings at the Prado museum's sculpture restoration department in Madrid on October 23, 2025. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/ AFP)

New Tools Rescue Old Art at Madrid’s Prado Museum

In a quiet space secluded from the throngs of daily visitors to Madrid's Prado art museum, a team of experts perpetuate an ancient tradition of restoring…

Culture The Saudi Culture Ministry will oversee the national pavilion with participation from several entities

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches Nonprofit Cultural Sector Forum with Wide Participation from Experts, Entities

Under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the sessions of the Nonprofit Cultural Sector Forum, organized by the…

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Culture Maraya Hall reflects one aspect of the cultural transformation witnessed in AlUla - SPA

AlUla’s Maraya Hall Highlights Creative Fusion of Art and Landscape

In AlUla Governorate, features of human creativity are manifested in their finest form, as Maraya Hall hosts an exceptional artistic and architectural…

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Culture Debris at the historical monument Golestan Palace after it was damaged in an Israeli and US strike, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 3, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo

UNESCO Fears for Fate of Historical Sites during Iran War

UNESCO said it is deeply concerned about the fate of world heritage sites in Iran and across the region, after Tehran's Golestan palace, often compared to…

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Culture The coin has been donated to Leeds Museums and Galleries. (Leeds City Council)

Coin Used to Pay for Bus Ticket in Leeds Found to Be Phoenician

An odd-looking coin used to pay for a bus fare in Leeds in the 1950s has been found to belong to an ancient civilization from more than 2,000 years ago,…

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Culture A Bangladeshi craftsman weaves fabric on a traditional handloom inside a workshop in Tangail on March 2, 2026. (AFP)

Bangladesh Sari Weaving Tradition Hangs by a Thread

Bangladesh's Tangail sari is fighting for survival as weavers warn that automation and economic pressures are pushing the centuries-old craft to the brink…

Culture The commission's participation aims to promote Saudi literary and intellectual output while showcasing the rapid development of the literature, publishing, and translation sectors in the Kingdom. (SPA)

Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission Launches Pavilion at London Book Fair

Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission officially launched the Kingdom’s pavilion at the London Book Fair 2026, held at Olympia…

Culture A visitor looks at the private collection and never previously shown to the public painting "Portrait de Maffeo Barberini" by Italian master Caravaggio at the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica in the Barberini palace in Rome on November 22, 2024. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP)

Italy Buys Caravaggio Painting for About $35 Million, One of Its Largest Payouts for a Single Work

Italy has bought a rare portrait by baroque painter Caravaggio for 30 million euros (about $35 million), one of the largest state investments ever for a single…

Culture The mosque is historically linked to the companion Jarir ibn Abdullah Al-Bajali, who embraced Islam in 10 AH - SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores 1,400-Year-Old Jarir Al-Bajali Mosque in Taif

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has completed the restoration of Jarir Al-Bajali Mosque in Taif, preserving a…

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Culture The portrait of Monsignor Maffeo Barberini was painted by Italian master Caravaggio when the nobleman born in 1568 was in his 30s © Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP/File

Italy Buys Rare Caravaggio Portrait for 30 Million Euros

Italy has paid 30 million euros for a Caravaggio painting of the future pope Urban VIII, the culture ministry said Tuesday, a work that will enter the…

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Culture  A reindeer breaks away from the pack during the Salla Porocup reindeer sprint racing event on the frozen Lake Keselmajarvi in Salla, Finland, March 7, 2026. (AP)

Reindeer Racing Thrills Spectators in Finland’s Frigid North Near the Russian Border

Traditional reindeer racing that's been delighting spectators for decades in Finland brought hundreds of fans to the Salla Reindeer Cup in the frigid town of…

Culture This comes as part of the Kingdom-wide initiative to safeguard ancient mosques and highlight Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage under Vision 2030 - SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Revitalizes 19th-Century Al-Habish Mosque in Al-Hofuf

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques restored Al-Habish Mosque in Al-Hofuf, Al-Ahsa Governorate, preserving its…

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Culture A firefighter extinguishes a blaze at a five-story residential building in Kharkiv on March 7, 2026, after it was partially destroyed by a Russian strike amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by SERGEY BOBOK / AFP)

Ukraine Urges Venice Biennale to Exclude Russia

Ukraine on Sunday called on the Venice Biennale to keep Russia out of the prestigious art event after organizers said it could participate for the first time…

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Culture A cowboy gestures during a bull-tailing competition held as part of the "Fiestas del Alma Llanera" celebration in San Fernando de Apure, Apure State, Venezuela, on February 27, 2026. (AFP)

Grabbing the Bull by the Tail: Venezuela’s Cowboy Sport

Four mounted cowboys jostle for position near the bull pen gate. When the bull bolts out into the ring, a mad scramble begins as the riders vie to grab its…

Culture Pedestrians walk past the Basilica of Santa Agnese Outside the Walls as a marble bust is displayed inside after being identified as a work by Michelangelo Buonarroti after centuries without attribution, following a decade of archival research by Italian researcher Valentina Salerno in Rome on March 4, 2026. (AFP)

Michelangelo’s Works Hidden in ‘Secret Room’, Researcher Says

Renaissance artist Michelangelo ordered many of his artworks to be hidden by his pupils in a secret room to protect them for posterity, an Italian researcher…

Culture Following its inclusion in the project in 2022, the mosque's area was expanded to 293 square meters - SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Al-Hawza Mosque in Aseer

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques is rehabilitating Al-Hawza Mosque in Dhahran Al-Janoub, Aseer, as part of its…

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Culture The people of AlUla in Saudi Arabia have long maintained a close relationship with nature, reflected in their careful observation of crescent moons. (SPA)

'Moon Spotter': AlUla's Enduring Tradition of Crescent Sighting

The people of Saudi Arabia’s AlUla have long maintained a close relationship with nature, reflected in their careful observation of crescent moons and the…

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Culture Poeple look at Rembrandt's famed Night Watch, which is back on display in what researchers say in its original size, with missing parts temporarily restored in an exhibition aided by artificial intelligence, at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

Dutch Museum Makes ‘Needle in a Haystack’ Confirmation of Rembrandt Painting

A painting that was once rejected as a work by Rembrandt van Rijn has now been acknowledged as a work by the Dutch master, thanks to two years of scrutiny in…

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Culture Plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo)

UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran Damaged in Strikes

Iran's UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran has been damaged in US and Israeli strikes, local media reported Monday. "Following the joint US-Israeli…

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Culture Turkish drummer Hakan Ozbingol plays drum and sings traditional songs in the streets of Istanbul, to wake Muslims up for the suhour, the Ramadan meal eaten at night, on February 24, 2026. (AFP)

Before Dawn, Ancient Drum Rite Wakes Istanbul Faithful to Fast

It's 3:30 am and lights are slowly coming on in the homes lining a narrow Istanbul street as people are woken up by the rhythmic thump of a drum. Emerging…

Culture ​​​​​​​The recent renovation by specialized Saudi firms increased the mosque's capacity from 80 to 129 worshippers and its area to 250 square meters - SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Historical Al-Jaloud Mosque in Hail

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has completed the comprehensive restoration of Al-Jaloud Mosque in Hail Region…

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Culture The ministry encourages consumers to choose national coffee products for their nutritional value - SPA

Saudi Coffee Remains Key Crop and Cultural Treasure during Ramadan

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has confirmed that Saudi coffee is a key national agricultural crop and an important cultural legacy,…

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Culture Saudi Arabia, under Vision 2030, is investing in world-class cultural infrastructure that serves both local communities and international visitors. SPA

Red Sea Museum Opens 'Sunken Treasures' Exhibition to Highlight Maritime Heritage

The Red Sea Museum celebrated the opening of 'Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea' exhibition on Wednesday in an event that brought together…

Asharq Al Awsat (Jeddah)
Culture Several residents of Al-Baha Region are reviving the atmosphere of Ramadan iftar in old houses. (SPA)

Old Houses in Al-Baha: A Living Architectural Heritage of Ramadan

Several residents of Al-Baha Region are reviving the atmosphere of Ramadan iftar in old houses, in a scene that reflects deep attachment to architectural…

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Culture (FILES) President of Chateau de Versailles Christophe Leribault arrives at the Elysee Palace, in Paris on February 27, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Head of France's Versailles Palace Takes over Louvre

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Christophe Leribault, the ⁠current head of the ⁠Versailles Palace, as ⁠director of the Louvre museum in Paris,…

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Culture Osborne Henry Mavor’s “Let Eric Remember” from Aberdeen Art Gallery. (Aberdeen archives, gallery & museums/Art UK)

One Million Works Catalogued in Art UK Database

From a bronze Rodin sculpture of Eve outside a Nando’s in Harlow to more than 6,000 artworks by JMW Turner, to a crumpled-up piece of A4 paper owned by…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture Laurence des Cars, director of Le Louvre museum, poses before a hearing at the Culture commission of the Senate, three days after historic jewels were stolen in a daring daylight heist, Oct. 22, 2025 in Paris. (AP)

Louvre Museum’s Director Resigns in Wake of Jewels Heist in Paris

The director of the Louvre Museum who had been under fire since the stunning and embarrassing heist of the French Crown jewels in October has stepped down from…