Saudi Arabia to launch world’s first ‘flying museum’

AlUla provides a range of year-round and seasonal activities to welcome local and international visitors

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is launching the world’s first “flying museum” on Thursday, highlighting archaeological finds on a plane journey between the capital and the ancient city of AlUla.

The museum, which is a collaborative project between the Royal Commission for AlUla and the national flag carrier Saudia, will exhibit a replica collection of artifacts that have been discovered in AlUla through archaeological excavations.

Passengers will also be able to watch a Discovery Channel documentary called “Architects of Ancient Arabia” that was released this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Rebecca Foote, director of archaeology and cultural heritage research at the commission, will provide an introduction to the documentary during the trip and give an explanation about the artifacts featured in the museum.

She said: “There is a major load of work ongoing in AlUla by local and international archeologists, and yet we are just beginning to understand the complicated nature of AlUla’s past. AlUla is a hidden gem in the Arabian Peninsula, and we are slowly discovering its secrets. I am looking forward to sharing more information about our work with passengers of the Museum in the Sky trip, operated by Saudia.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• The museum will exhibit a replica collection of artifacts that have been discovered in AlUla through archaeological excavations.

• Passengers will also be able to watch a Discovery Channel documentary called ‘Architects of Ancient Arabia’ that was released this year.

Philip Jones, the commission’s chief destination marketing officer, said the museum would highlight the importance of the archeological work being done in AlUla, which the commission believed was the “biggest archeological program” in the world at this time.

He said the commission was “honored” to work with Saudia and welcomed all the passengers and visitors who would be coming in the next few months to discover more about AlUla’s history.

Khaled Tash, vice president of corporate communications at the airline, said the museum was a continuation of the “ongoing cooperation” with the commission to highlight AlUla’s rich heritage and promote it globally as a tourist destination.

AlUla provides a range of year-round and seasonal activities to welcome local and international visitors. Passengers on the trip will have the opportunity to book the first tickets to the Masa Al-Hijr experience.