Jeddah, 11 Shawwal 1447 AH (30 March 2026)

The Red Sea Museum is offering a distinctive cultural and knowledge experience through the exhibition "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea", hosted at the Bab Al Bunt building in Historic Jeddah until 29 May 2026, presenting archaeological discoveries raised from the depths of the Red Sea that tell the story of navigation and civilizational exchange across the centuries.

A Knowledge Journey Through the History of Navigation

The exhibition is a knowledge platform spotlighting the transformation of Red Sea shipwrecks from the remains of interrupted voyages into historical records documenting trade routes and civilizational contact among peoples.

It presents this journey through immersive visual experiences and modern interactive technology that re-present the Red Sea as a cultural corridor along which layers of history have accumulated, as well as a natural environment home to coral reefs and marine life.

Four Sections Telling the Memory of the Sea

The exhibition offers an integrated narrative across four main sections, beginning with "The Red Sea Corridor", which highlights the role of monsoon winds and navigation patterns in shaping trade routes between the Mediterranean, the south of the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and the Indian Ocean.

The second section, "Life Aboard Ship", reveals the details of sailors' daily lives, from navigation tools to the nature of commercial cargoes. The third, "Shipwrecks: From Voyage to Memory", presents the moment sunken ships become silent archaeological witnesses documenting maritime history.

The exhibition closes with "Exploration for Tomorrow", which presents the scientific research, restoration and conservation of this maritime heritage using the latest technology and scientific standards.

Artifacts Telling the Stories of Trade and Civilizations

The exhibition includes a collection of artifacts reflecting the depth of commercial and cultural exchange across the Red Sea, including historical coins from different eras, navigation tools such as the astrolabe, and objects recovered from shipwrecks discovered on the Saudi coast.

These pieces highlight the historical standing of the Red Sea as a civilizational bridge linking the continents and contributing to the flourishing of trade and culture across the ages.

Scientific Cooperation to Safeguard Maritime Heritage

The exhibition's technical curation is led by museum director Iman Zidan and Solène Marion de Procé, head of the French–Saudi archaeological mission in the Farasan Islands, in a scientific collaboration that documents maritime heritage and makes it accessible to the public through modern display methods.

The exhibition embodies the museum's commitment, in cooperation with the Heritage Commission and Historic Jeddah, to safeguarding tangible and intangible maritime heritage and using it to support scientific research, cultural exchange and sustainable development.

It also reflects growing attention to the Kingdom's cultural sector, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 goal of establishing the Kingdom as a global center for culture and knowledge.

At a Glance

  • Location: Historic Jeddah, Bab Al Bunt building
  • Organizer: Red Sea Museum
  • Exhibition: Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea
  • Runs until: 29 May 2026
  • Highlights: historical coins, navigation tools, shipwreck finds
  • Goal: highlighting maritime heritage and raising awareness of the history of Red Sea navigation