Showcasing a rich heritage — How one man turned a hobby into a museum with 5,000 artifacts

[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="26291,26289,26288,26290,26284,26285,26286,26287"] Saudi Gazette report When Hussain Ali Al-Khalifa, a former Saudi Aramco employee, bought a rare coffee pot 22 years ago little did he know that purchase would lead him to become a collector of archeological artifacts. Al-Khalifa’s 250-square-meter museum has over 5,000 artifacts, including a rare manuscript of the holy Qur’an that dates back to 1514. His collection has earned him two awards from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage in 2012 and 2013. Alsharq daily reports on his journey from a hobbyist to private museum founder. “In 1995 I started to collect the pieces I was going to display in the museum and today I have more than 5,000 pieces including old chairs, tables, beds, scissors, coffee pots,” he said. His museum is divided into sections and frequently visited by local people and art lovers. There is a section that displays farmers’ tools, another featuring sailors’ tools and one that shows the jewelry and accessories women used to wear in tribes that dotted the Arabian Peninsula. Other items on display include: currency that dates back to the time of the late King Abdulaziz, various types of old recorders, radios, crank handle phones and irons. The pieces were collected from bazaars in Al-Ahsa, auctions and individuals who were willing to sell the old pieces they had. The Heritage Market of Hofouf is the main market of its type in Al-Asha and is held every Thursday. A large number of art and artifact collectors from all over the Kingdom frequent the market to either buy something or offer their pieces for sale. “As far as I remember I have never missed this market or any similar activities including Al-Janadriyah Heritage Festival. If I like something, I buy it immediately. I have good relationships with people in Al-Ahsa, Dammam, Al-Qatif and Riyadh who call me if they know about any person who is willing to sell heritage pieces,” he explained. Al-Khalifa says he enjoys collecting artifacts and also believes it is important to preserve and protect the traditional heritage of the country by paying homage to one’s forefathers and ancestors. He is also keen on explaining the significance of the archeological pieces in his collection to the younger generation of Saudis so they “understand how their forefathers worked hard and with patience and how they led a hard life and relied on themselves alone at the time.” “We have to teach our sons and daughters to become independent,” he continued. “It is our duty to explain to them the importance of work and that there is no social stigma attached to any work we do as long as it is permissible by the Shariah. Our forefathers worked as farmers, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, shepherds, etc., and never complained about the work they did.” Al-Khalifa believes his museum helps build communication channels between residents of the region and the nation. If he has his way, Al-Khalifa hopes to one day build an even bigger museum to showcase more artifacts as a means of helping people connect with their past.