Saudi Tourism

The Museum of
Antiquities and Folklore
This museum is considered one of the most
important cultural venues with a tourist appeal
in the Eastern Region, since it houses several
antiquities and royalty belongings which reflect
the tangible and non-tangible heritage. The
museum exhibits the history and remnants of
the region, most of which are 12 million years
old. It also exhibits the tectonic movements
of continents, geological time scale, earth’s
age, comparative illustrations of the region’s
historical remnants to other regions of the
Kingdom, a glimpse of the desert wildlife
including most wild desert plant species, in
addition to illustrations showing the importance
of the Arabian Gulf to agriculture and trading
in the region. The museum portrays some
manuscripts showing what handwritings and
languages were like before Islam, and it also
exhibits tools and materials used by Bedouins in
folkloric culture. You can also find an exhibition
of ancient currencies and manuscripts.
Al Hufoof, the First School
It is the first public school in the history of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was established
in the year 1360 on the Islamic calendar in
a strategic location in Downtown Hufoof.
The school brings nostalgic thoughts to the
people of AlAhsa’a and the Gulf, since most
public figures in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf had
their early education there. Its unique design
reflects on local architectural elegance and
culture in the Arabian Peninsula. The school
is a model of education facilities construction
with Islamic essence, as it was precisely built
using local oriental raw materials for the
ceilings, doors, and windows such as: plaster,
palm trunks, gravel and tamarisk plant. The
school consists of two floors of classrooms
and a beautiful playground. The school is
open for visits from Sunday to Thursday from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Ibrahim Palace
If you are a fan of Ottoman architecture,
then Ibrahim Palace is a must-visit for you.
It is one of the very important historical sites
in AlAhsa’a, and is also known as the Kout
palace or the Dome palace. The palace was
established in the covenant of Al Jibreen who
ruled AlAhsa’a between years 840 and 941 on
the Islamic calendar. The military essence in
its design is what distinguishes Ibrahim Palace
among other palaces in Saudi Arabia. The
palace has undergone some maintenance and
renovation aimed at preserving its original
architectural style and it is now proudly open
for visitors.
15