King Saud University Museums

The first university to be established in Saudi Arabia was King Saud University and a number of its departments have their own museums, most of which are open to the public.

The Pharmacy College has a medical drugs museum which boasts a collection of Saudi herbs from which are extracted medical components. Open to men and women. More information on 01-467 7249.

In the College of Medicine there is an Anatomy Museum, full of body parts preserved in solution, together with plastic models of different human organs. Open to men only. Ring 01-467 0011.

The Zoology Department’s museum contains mammals, birds, insects, lizards and fishes and gives information on some of the studies performed on these species. Open to men only.

The Geology department in the College of Science has its own museum which has a good display of rocks, fossils and metal-bearing ores that can be found in the Kingdom. Telephone 01-467 6212 for more information.

If you are interested in archaeology, then one museum you will not want to miss is the Museum of Antiquities on the ground floor of the College of Arts. It has an excellent collection of artifacts from Qaryat al-Fau (from the pre-Islamic age) and Al-Rabzah (during the early Islamic civilization) which include pottery, glass work, textiles, metals and stone, as well as jewellery, statues and wall paintings. Most of the exhibits have labels in both English and Arabic. Here you will also be able to see the Prince Sultan collection of over 850 coins, though these only have Arabic labels. The museum is open for men only, but weekend visits can be arranged for families.

Most of the university museums are open from 8am until noon during term times only.

The easiest way to find the Museum of Antiquities is to drive into the large car parking area near Building 16. At the foot of a semi-circular tower (24 43.01’ N; 46 37.06’E) you will see a small door. Enter through here and the museum is close by on your right.

For the Medical Drugs Museum, park in car park 1 or 5 and go to the second floor of the Pharmacy college.

Next door is the Medical College. Go through the entrance next to the hospital, go up the stairs to the first floor and then along the corridor as far as it goes. The Anatomy Museum is on your left.

The Science colleges are located in the spine running from the Forum building, past the Library, and here you will find the Geology and Zoology museums.