[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="29435,29436,29434,29433"] Shahd Alhamdan Saudi Gazette The Dar Al-Madinah Museum has become a favorite destination for pilgrims as well as the young residents of the holy city, with around 60,000 people visiting the it in 2015. Those who visit the museum can learn much about the Madinah's history, making it a great center for educating children and also a good resource for those studying and doing research on the city. The idea for the museum came from Abdulaziz Kaki, who founded the institution when the expansion of the Prophet's Mosque began, and many objects and artifacts were removed. Kaki began collecting historical and Islamic pieces, and started work on having a museum in the city. At first, the museum was opened in a small space, and showcased a limited number of collections. The new museum was later opened by then Emir of Madinah, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Majed. Work has started on a third phase that will see the museum expand further. It includes a new building that has more historic documents from the city. The museum, which was officially opened in 2011, presents the story of Madinah from the Prophet's time and has many pieces that explain the physical and cultural heritage of the city. The executive director of Dar Al-Madinah Museum, Hassan Taher, said the museum's collection also includes coins from the time of the prophet, pieces of the Kaaba covering from different ages, pottery from the Umayyad era, and other collections from the Mameluke and Ottoman periods. The museum has also won the King Faisal International Prize and other important awards. It has a collection of many books and articles on the history of Madinah. "This is the first and only museum in Madinah that is specialized in the architectural and urban heritage of the city. It has models that simulate the history of Madinah and story of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There is also trained and qualified team of tour guides who speak different languages," Taher said. The entry fee is SR15, and the museum is open daily except on Fridays.
