A unique museum dedicated entirely to cameras is set to open its doors on Friday in Al-Aziziyah, Alkhobar. Founder Majid Al-Ghamdi expressed his excitement, stating, "Have you ever heard of a museum in the Kingdom just dedicated to the camera? I haven't, so we are opening one." He added that the museum aims to fill a void by becoming the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Location and Background
The Camera Museum is housed within the larger Taybeen Museum, which was originally Al-Ghamdi's family home. Taybeen Museum, officially opened in 2004, is known as a "nostalgic playground" filled with artifacts from the 1970s to the 1990s. Al-Ghamdi's extensive camera collection, which outgrew its previous space, prompted the creation of this new dedicated museum within the same premises.
Exhibits and Interactive Features
Visitors enter the Taybeen Museum, pass through life-sized cutouts and an outdoor labyrinth, and reach the Camera Museum. The exhibit offers a detailed historical timeline of camera evolution spanning over a thousand years, from the first cameras to modern DSLRs. Information is provided in both Arabic and English. Al-Ghamdi emphasized that the museum tells the story of photography and how it reshaped humanity's understanding of light, time, and memory.
One highlight is the "upside-down photo space," an interactive room where visitors can take photos that appear to show them praying on the ceiling. The museum is designed to be TikTok-friendly, with an official Instagram profile (@camera_museum_ksa) encouraging visitors to share their experiences.
Unique Finale
The exhibition concludes with a display featuring Saher, Saudi Arabia's automated traffic enforcement system. Al-Ghamdi noted that this addition aims to bring a smile or a cringe, showcasing the dual role of cameras in capturing both cherished memories and traffic violations.
Al-Ghamdi described the museum as "not merely a display of artifacts, but a time-travel experience that captures how fleeting moments were transformed into lasting memories." The Camera Museum promises an immersive journey through the history of photography and its impact on society.
