Bahrain, an archipelago of over thirty islands, is the birthplace of pearl diving. The island country is rich in history and offers a variety of tourist activities, making it an ideal destination for those looking for an authentic Gulf experience. Bahrain is the old Dilmun civilization’s seat if you are interested in ancient history. And If you’re interested in contemporary history, Bahrain has a pearl diving center in the Gulf.
Let’s discover 15 museums in Bahrain to learn more about Bahrain’s History and Culture.
1. Bahrain National Museum
The Bahrain National Museum is the oldest and largest public museum in Bahrain. Begin a four-millennium journey through Bahrain’s history at the Bahrain National Museum, one of the country’s oldest museums and its most popular attraction. The museum, which opened in 1988, is housed in a massive modernist building on the waterfront.
Explore its collections of archeological artifacts from the ancient Dilmun civilization, as well as traditional pre-industrial handicrafts, old Islamic manuscripts, and various specimens of native flora and fauna. Among the highlights of this site are an early burial mound (moved from Hamad Town to the museum) and a tableau depicting Bahrain as a Dilmun paradise in a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh. Look for the 1932 Buick, which was a gift from the American government to the country’s first emir, Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
At the end of the journey, visitors can sample some authentic food flavors in the caffeteria, visit the educational hall, or purchase a memorable gift from the gift shop.
| Location: Bahrain National Museum, Shaikh Hamad Causeway, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1729 8777 Timing: 08:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
2. Beit Al Qur’an
The Beit Al Qur’an (House of the Quran) is a museum dedicated to Islamic heritage and the study of the Holy Qur’an. Housed in a structure modeled after the 12th-century Al Khamis Mosque, complete with engraved Qur’anic verses and a slender minaret, this museum houses an impressive collection of Qur’ans and other antique manuscripts, as well as a stunning display of calligraphy.
Visiting the Beit Al Qur’an provides insight into Islam and, in particular, the Kufic script. The museum has several floors, and exhibits are labeled in both English and Arabic. There are also some rare Islamic artifacts on display, as well as jewelry and beautifully decorated glass utensils, demonstrating how Islamic heritage has influenced art throughout the world.
The Beit Al Qur’an is best visited as part of a larger day tour of Bahrain’s most famous attractions, such as Al Fateh Grand Mosque, the Royal Camel Farm, the Bahrain National Museum, Bahrain Fort, the Burial Mounds, and Manama Souq.
| Location: Road No. 1901, Building No. 17, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1729 0101 Timing: 08:00 AM – 14:30 PM |
3. Busaad Art Gallery
Ebrahim Mohamed Busaad, the artist, owns the Busaad art gallery in Bahrain. The project began with the renovation of the artist’s grandfather’s house, which was built in the 1930s and is the exact location where the artist was born.
The pieces on display depict a wide range of themes and styles, ranging from Arabic calligraphy to more modern forms. The gallery building, erected in the 1930s and renovated by the artist’s family, is a work of art and a major architectural landmark.
The gallery has a small shop where you can buy souvenirs such as postcards and calligraphy artwork copies.
| Location: Block 209, Road51 Sh. Isa Avenue Building 290, AI Muharraq 973, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1700 0020 Timing: 09:00 AM – 13:30 PM, 16:00 PM – 20:00 PM |
4. Bahrain Military Museum
The Bahrain Military Museum is a museum in Bahrain dedicated to the country’s military history. The museum, which opened in 2006, spans the centuries from pre-Islamic times to the present. Exhibits at the museum cover the country’s maritime history, its role in World War II, and the 1991 Gulf War.
The Bahrain Military Museum houses a diverse collection of exhibits that trace the country’s military history from ancient times to the present. Visitors to the museum can learn about Bahrain’s various wars and conflicts, as well as see a variety of weapons and equipment used by the Bahrain Defence Force throughout its history.
| Location: Sh Hamood Bin Avenue Near Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort in East Riffa, Riffa 903, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1749 5511 Timing: 08:00 AM – 13:00 PM Friday and Saturday: Closed |
5. Oil Museum and first oil well
It is the Persian Gulf’s first oil well, and it is located in Bahrain.Oil first gushed from this well on October 16, 1931, and the well finally started blowing oil heads on June 2, 1932, much to the delight of those involved in the project.
The initial flow rate of oil was 400 barrels per hour. The well is located beneath Jebel Dukhan, also known as the Mountain of Smoke, which is the highest point on the island at 134 meters (450 feet). It gets its name from the misty haze that often surrounds it on a hot and humid day. Bahrain was the first oil discovery on the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf. It couldn’t have come at a better time for Bahrain, as it coincided with the global pearl market’s collapse.
| Location: Jebel Dukhan, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1775 3475 Timing: 08:00 AM – 16:00 PM |
6. Museum of Pearl Diving
The Museum of Pearl Diving is located in the former Bahrain Supreme Courts Center, which was built in 1937. This museum in Bahrain chronicles the history of the country prior to the discovery of oil in the Gulf. The first floor houses pearl diving equipment, national costumes, and musical instruments, while the second floor houses a large collection of photographs from the previous century.
| Location: 6HPG+4XX, Al Khalifa Avenue, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1757 8181 Timing: 08:00 AM – 16:00 PM |
7. Mohammed Bin Faris House of Sout Music
The Muhammad Bin Faris House of Sound, named after one of the most influential musicians who influenced the development of Gulf melodies, is extremely important in cultural circles and among music makers. The house welcomes visitors of all ages and takes them on a tour where they learn about Gulf music, the most beautiful Bahraini folk songs, and many Arabic pieces that delight the ear.
| Location: Off Boomaher Avenue, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1732 2549 Timing: 08:00 AM – 01:00 PM, 16:00 PM – 19:00 PM Friday and Saturday: Closed |
8. Shaikh Ebrahim Center
The Sheikh Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research is one of most significant cultural museums in Bahrain, playing an important role in Bahraini civilized life. Built on the site of Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa’s original majlis in the heart of Muharraq, the current structure is a modern reconstruction with a seating capacity of 300.
Since its inception in 2002, the Shaikh Ebrahim Center has hosted over 400 artists, speakers, philosophers, and poets, and has established itself as a vibrant venue for debates and exchanges of ideas and knowledge in the fields of culture, arts, and philosophy.
| Location: 7J36+MPP, Muharraq, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1732 2549 Timing: 08:00 AM – 01:00 PM, 16:00 PM – 19:00 PM Friday and Sunday: Closed |
9. Qal’at Al-Bahrain Site Museum
The Qal’at al-Bahrain, also known as the Bahrain Fort or the Portuguese Fort, is a Bahrain archaeological site. The Qala’at Al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) Site Museum in Bahrain, which opened in February 2008, aims to preserve the ancient historic features of the site while also documenting the archaeological periods through the preservation of artifacts discovered at the site.
The museum’s collection features five different historical periods that are chronologically organized, each with its own gallery.
The Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site Museum is located across from the historic Qala’at Al-Bahrain, one of the GCC region’s most important historic political and military forts. The fort is a component of the Qala’at Al-Bahrain Site, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. A main courtyard leads to a café that overlooks the coastline opposite the fort, as well as a lecture hall and gift shop.
| Location: 892 3618, Karbahad, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1756 7171 Timing: 08:00 AM – 20:00 PM |
10. Moonlight Gallery Cafe
Moonlight Gallery Cafe was created to be a pioneering and one-of-a-kind location not only in the Kingdom of Bahrain, but also in the region. The inspiration for this gallery comes from the absolute humanitarian values that unite all people around the world in their desire for love, peace, and a creative life. A life characterized by tolerance among people of various races, nationalities, and religions, as opposed to all forms of hatred and violence. This is a museum in Bahrain dedicated to instilling values of love and communal living. A place that encourages peace and noble group work.
| Location: Building 4021, Road 469, Bahrain
Phone: +973 7710 0355 Timing: 10:00 AM – 19:00 PM |
11. Bahrain Post Museum
The original Manama post office, located directly behind Bab Al Bahrain, is now home to a newly renovated museum documenting Bahrain’s postal services throughout its history. The museum houses an archive of photographs from the postal service’s inception, as well as a complete catalog of Bahraini stamps and stamps from around the world.
| Location: 6HMG+F68, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1722 5782 Timing: 08:00 AM – 19:00 PM Friday: Closed |
12. Rashid Al-Oraifi Museum in Bahrain
This museum in Bahrain is an exhibition of the works of Bahraini plastic artist Rashid Al-Arifi. The museum houses a collection of the artist’s more than 100 works, all of which are related to Bahrain’s ancient history from around five thousand years ago during the Dilmun era (a civilization that was established on the island of Bahrain and eastern Arabia) and include paintings, sculptures, small stone statues, decorative plasterwork, and more.
| Location: 7J79+Q33, Road No. 205, Muharraq, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1733 5616 Timing: 10:00 AM – 17:00 PM Friday: Closed |
13. Masterpiece Museum
Over 500 signed items by global celebrities, souvenirs, and a variety of beautifully handmade creations by owner Hamad Alkoheji are on display at Masterpiece Museum in Bahrain. The hand-crafted models on display in the museum reflect his interest in various mediums of art and item collection.
| Location: Abu Shahin Avenue, Riffa, Bahrain
Timing: 16:00 AM – 21:00 PM Sunday: Closed |
14. Abdullah Al Zayed House for Bahraini Press Heritage
The journalistic heritage of the Abdullah Al-Zayed House of Bahrain is significant in Bahrain’s history because it is where the first Bahraini newspaper was launched in the early twentieth century. Bait Al Zayed is also a vivid example of historical architecture in Bahrain, so by visiting and touring its facilities, you can learn about the building style and various aspects of life in Bahrain.
| Location: 7J36+H64, Lane 918, Muharraq 000, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1732 4117 Timing: 08:00 AM – 01:00 PM, 16:00 PM – 19:00 PM Friday: Closed |
15. Al bareh art gallery
Albareh Art Gallery is one of Bahrain’s most reputable and well-established art galleries. Albareh’s primary focus is the representation of an international group of modern and contemporary artists whose work transcends the aesthetic and challenges the intellect in a variety of practices such as painting, drawing, sculpture, video, installation, and photography.
Albareh offers a wide range of services to its clientele, which includes private collectors, museums, architects, interior designers, art consultants, and other dealers. Many of the gallery’s artists are represented in public, corporate, and private collections.
| Location: Building 40, Road 3601, Area 336, Manama, Bahrain
Phone: +973 1771 7707 Timing: 09:30 AM – 02:00 PM, 04:00 PM – 08:00 PM |
These are all the top 20 museums in Bahrain that travelers should visit. We hope through your visits to museums, you will gain a better understanding of Bahrain’s history and people.
Bahrain is well-known for its quality spa services, in addition to its many attractive museums. Tourists can enjoy treatments for the head, feet, hands, or entire body that use precious herbs and are attended to by massage therapists. Visitors will be able to enjoy street food more comfortably after receiving this relaxing massage. Don’t forget to visit Manama Massage Center to enjoy the best body massage in Bahrain.
