Saudi Arabia has launched the Black Gold Museum in Riyadh – the world’s first permanent museum dedicated to the art of oil, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
On Monday, the Minister of Energy and Chairman of King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) Board of Trustees, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, inaugurated the innovative museum.
Located at KAPSARC, the Black Gold Museum examines the profound global shift ignited by oil, tracing its impact on society through the lens of modern and contemporary art. It also invites visitors to reimagine the legacy of “black gold” through an artistic, cultural, and human lens.
Unique Collections
The museum displays a permanent collection of over 350 masterpieces from more than 30 countries, featuring works by over 170 prominent Saudi and international artists.
These include Manal AlDowayan, Ahmed Mater, Muhannad Shono, Mohammad Alfaraj, Ayman Zedani, Doug Aitken, Jimmie Durham, Dennis Hopper, Alfredo Jaar, Renaud Layrac, George Sabra, Pascale Marthine Tayou, and Andy Wauman, as well as other renowned artists.
Furthermore, the museum showcases major installations, photographs, and historical documentation, taking visitors on a captivating journey to explore how oil has shaped societies, economies, and everyday life.
Interactive Journey
The museum features 4 interactive sections: Encounter, Dreams, Doubts, and Visions. Encounter charts the 19th-century origins of oil and its catalyst role in industrialization, while Dreams illustrates how petroleum became the vital resource of modern society and national ambition.
Shifting to a more reflective tone, Doubts explores the complex consequences of global energy reliance, leading finally to Visions, which invites dialogue on the future of energy through a dynamic, forward-looking program.
Housed in the iconic Zaha Hadid-designed building at KAPSARC, the Black Gold Museum features interior spaces crafted by DaeWha Kang Design. It is supported by the Quality of Life Program as part of Vision 2030 realization efforts.
