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‘Qissa bi Qissa’ experience brings AlUla’s ancient stories to life this International Museum Day |
AlUla, Saudi Arabia – May 2026: This International Museum Day, visitors to the ancient heritage destination of AlUla are invited to travel through time, not in galleries or behind glass, but through a living experience. On 18th May, Qissa bi Qissa (Swap a Story) will transform Madrasat Addeera, AlUla’s first arts and design centre, into a space for dialogue, storytelling and shared reflection. This event is free to attend and will be held at Madrasat Addeera at 4pm (English) and 6pm (Arabic). Part of a UNESCO-endorsed Live Museum Model developed in collaboration with museums and cultural practitioners around the world, Qissa bi Qissa is a keystone initiative of AlUla’s upcoming Museum of the Incense Road, supporting its vision to inspire connections across cultures and time.  Visitors are encouraged to be active participants in the experience, contributing their own perspectives while connecting with the stories, memories and meaning embedded in AlUla’s landscapes and objects. At the heart of the experience are AlUla’s Rawis, heritage interpreters and storytellers who guide participants through conversations inspired by objects discovered in AlUla Old Town. Set within Madrasat Addeera, AlUla’s first arts and design centre, the experience reflects AlUla’s identity as a cultural crossroads, the home of 250,000 years of human history and continuous civilisations dating back more than 7,000 years, and a contemporary destination for authentic heritage. Qissa bi Qissa is an extension of AlUla’s storied legacy as a destination for fascinating heritage and culture. All year round, curious visitors can wander through Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, where over 140 Nabataean tombs are carved into sandstone; or visit Dadan, the capital of the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms; they can even marvel at hundreds of rock inscriptions at Jabal Ikmah, an open-air library carved into stone. In AlUla Old Town, labyrinthine alleyways reveal more recent chapters in this long human story, with each site being part of an inter-connected conversation between cultures and centuries. This ancient narrative continues to be supported through AlUla’s exhibitions and programmes that engage audiences in meaningful and compelling ways. Qissa bi Qissa is founded on the UNESCO Live Museum model, a practical and adaptable tool that transform museums and heritage sites into living spaces for dialogue. By connecting heritage sites or artefacts to broader conversations, the model invites people to explore each other’s worldviews and ways of living and acknowledge and celebrate diversity. The International Museum Day edition also offers a glimpse into AlUla’s future as a global cultural hub, with major institutions, including the upcoming Museum of the Incense Road and AlUla Contemporary Art Museum set to further shape its evolving museum landscape. By bringing together people and shared experiences, Qissa bi Qissa reflects a broader vision of museums as living spaces that connect past and present, inviting visitors to discover history and become part of it. |
