Red Sea Museum announces “Sunken Treasures” exhibition exploring The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea
The Red Sea Museum, under the Saudi Museums Commission, one of the eleven sector specific commissions of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, announces the opening of Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea (كنوز غارقة: التراث البحري للبحر الأحمر), a major temporary exhibition running from 25 February to 29 May 2026. The exhibition presents archaeological discoveries from the Red Sea as witnesses to human journeys, cultural exchange, and the enduring relationship between maritime heritage and environmental conservation.
“Sunken Treasures” invites visitors to discover how shipwrecks became archives of history and eventually transformed into living coral reefs. Through archaeological artifacts, immersive visual experiences, and interactive technologies, the exhibition reveals the Red Sea coast as a cultural corridor upon which layers of history have accumulated over millennia.
Curated by Eman Zidan, Director of the Red Sea Museum, and Dr Solène Marion de Procé, Chief of the French-Saudi Archeological Mission in Farasân Islands, the exhibition unfolds across four thematic sections that together tell the story of maritime life, risk, and discovery in the Red Sea. The journey begins with The Red Sea Passage, exploring how seasonal winds and navigation patterns shaped trade routes connecting the Mediterranean, southern Arabia, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
Life Aboard the Ship transports visitors into the world of historic seafarers, presenting the ship not just as a means of transport, but an integrated world of maritime voyages, where crew, cargo, and navigation tools reveal the accumulated expertise of reading the sea and sky. Pottery, coins, glass, and ceramic objects preserve stories of movement, connection, and communication across the Red Sea.
Shipwrecks: From a voyage to a memory then explores the dramatic moment when journeys are cut short. Through storms, waves, or collision with coral reefs, vessels shift from means of crossing into silent traces.
Exploring for Tomorrow traces the transformation of shipwrecks from discovery to interpretation as scientific sources of knowledge. The section highlights conservation and restoration efforts carried out by the Heritage Commission and archaeological missions working on the Saudi coast of the Red Sea, following guidelines and frameworks that ensure protection for future generations.
The exhibition concludes with a forward-looking perspective in which society becomes a partner in safeguarding maritime heritage. Through awareness, the involvement of divers and fishermen, and the protection of the Red Sea environment and its coral reefs, submerged heritage transforms from a discovered past into a shared responsibility and sustainable future.
Sunken Treasures demonstrates the Red Sea Museum’s commitment to preserving the tangible, intangible, and natural heritage of the Red Sea while creating opportunities for cultural exchange, education, and sustainable development. The exhibition is enriched through collaboration with key institutional partners, including the Heritage Commission and Historic Jeddah Program, who have loaned objects that strengthen the presentation of authentic material evidence of maritime and coastal heritage, reflecting a shared commitment to safeguarding the Maritime Heritage of Saudi Arabia.
By showcasing the processes of underwater archaeology, from discovery and documentation to conservation and interpretation, the exhibition showcases the Red Sea Museum as a platform for knowledge creation and scientific research. It highlights how submerged cultural heritage is transformed into valuable historical knowledge through research-driven storytelling, while fostering collaboration between marine specialists, scientists, conservators, and the wider community. This approach reinforces the museum’s role in advancing understanding of maritime history while raising awareness of the importance of protecting both the Red Sea’s natural environment and its underwater cultural legacy for future generations.
Sunken Treasures opens to the public on 25 February 2026, at the Red Sea Museum, housed in the historic Bab Al Bunt building in Historic Jeddah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
