Diriyah Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has awarded a 1.84 billion riyal ($490 million) contract to build the Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art, a key project in the kingdom’s drive to expand its cultural sector and diversify its economy beyond oil.
The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Hassan Allam Construction and Al Bawani Company, the developer said.
The museum, one of the flagship initiatives of Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission, is intended to serve as the national home for modern and contemporary Saudi art while also hosting international exhibitions.
A cultural anchor for Diriyah
The museum will occupy 45,252 square metres within a broader 77,428-square-metre development in Diriyah, the historic birthplace of the Saudi state on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Designed by British architectural firm Goodwin Austin Johnson, the building has received gold-level sustainability certification for both its design and construction phases, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s increasing focus on sustainable urban development.
Jerry Inzerillo, group chief executive of Diriyah Company, said the museum would provide a global platform for Saudi and international artists while strengthening Diriyah’s role as a centre for culture, heritage and knowledge.
Home of Saudi contemporary art
Saudi officials see the institution as a cornerstone of the kingdom’s expanding arts ecosystem.
Abdullah Al-Hammad, chief executive of the Museums Commission, said the museum would document and celebrate Saudi artistic expression across generations, from early pioneers to emerging contemporary talent, while also fostering international cultural exchange.
The new museum will become the principal home of the Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art. Its existing venue, the SAMOCA at JAX, will continue operating as an experimental and temporary exhibition space in Riyadh’s creative district.
Part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation
The museum forms part of the 236 billion riyal ($63.2 billion) Diriyah development, one of the kingdom’s largest giga-projects and a central pillar of Vision 2030.
Located around the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif, Diriyah is being developed as a mixed-use cultural, residential and tourism destination. Construction contracts worth more than $29 billion have already been awarded.
Once completed, Diriyah is expected to contribute about 70 billion riyals ($18.6 billion) directly to Saudi gross domestic product, create more than 180,000 jobs, accommodate around 100,000 residents and attract up to 50 million visits annually.
The development will include museums, retail districts, a university, the Diriyah Opera House, the Diriyah Arena, hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s ambition to build new engines of growth beyond hydrocarbons.
