Former British Museum director Hartwig Fischer, who stepped down last July amid the scandal over 1500 lost or stolen items in the museum’s collection, has been named by the Saudi Museums Commission as the founding director of the Museum of World Cultures.
Set to open in 2026, the 110-metre-high structure designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill is currently under construction at the Royal Art Complex in King Salman Park, Riyadh.
The Museum of World Cultures will explore cultures through ‘themes relevant to all humankind’, writes the press release. ‘It will offer visitors an extraordinary opportunity to explore human universals, shared values and the fascinating diversity of achievements across millennia and across the globe.’
The museum comes as part of a series of Saudi Arabia’s recent investments in cultural initiatives, including the city’s art festival Noor Riyadh and the Diriyah Biennale as well as cultural investments in the country’s northwestern AlUla. Fischer will be charged with the establishment and management of the site.
