Бахрейн Ұлттық Мұзейі: 5000 жылдық тарих пен мәдениеттер қазынасы

The Bahrain National Museum (متحف البحرين الوطني) is the largest and oldest public museum in Bahrain. It is situated in Manama, adjacent to the National Theatre of Bahrain. Opened on 15 December 1988 by the Emir of Bahrain Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the $30 million museum complex covers 27,800 sq meters and is the country's most popular tourist attraction.

In 1957, the first exhibition of archaeological artifacts in Bahrain occurred at the Hidaya Boys School in Muharraq in collaboration with the Danish Archaeological Expedition sent to the Bahrain Fort. The temporary exhibition lasted for a few days but drew significant interest in archaeology from the Bahraini community. In 1967, a cultural agreement was signed between UNESCO and the Bahraini government which helped pave the way for the construction of a national museum. A national museum was first opened at Government House in Manama on 4 March 1970 by the head of state council at the time, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. The modern museum was designed by Danish architects Krohn & Hartvig Rasmussen and officially opened in December 1988. It was constructed on an artificial peninsula overlooking the neighbouring island of Muharraq. The museum is made of two buildings spanning a floor space of 20,000 square meters. The museum celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013 by renovating the Hall of Dilmun Graves, and hosting an international conference on museum development.

The museum possess a collection of Bahrain's ancient archaeological artifacts acquired since 1988, and covering around 5000 years of Bahrain's history. The complex includes three halls devoted to archaeology and the ancient civilisation of the Dilmun, while two other halls depict the culture and lifestyle of Bahrain's recent pre industrial past. In 1993, a further hall was opened, the Natural History Hall, focusing on the natural environment of Bahrain. This hall features specimens of Bahrain's flora and fauna.

The exhibit focuses on artifacts and the history of the Dilmun civilization from 5000 BC to 400 BC, including its widespread trading network with Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. On display are Dilmunite stamp seals, artifacts from Barbar temple and Saar Temple, and Dilmunite pottery. A notable exhibit is the Durand Stone, a long black basalt sculpture dating back to the Babylonian era. Another feature is a tableau which depicts a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh (in which reference to Bahrain is made as the paradise of Dilmun).

The exhibit focuses on burial practices of the Dilmun civilization and features an actual burial mound which was transported from its site A'ali and reassembled within the museum.

The hall covers the Hellenic influenced history of Bahrain from the 2nd century BC onwards as well as interactions with the Seleucid empire and Characene kingdom. This exhibit hosts glazed pottery and glasses, alabaster containers and jewelry dating from that era. The Islamic portion of the exhibit follows Bahrain's adoption of Islam in the 7th century AD until the 18th century. It features artifacts from the Khamis Mosque, the oldest mosque in Bahrain, as well as Kufic inscriptions, timber beams, ceramic and glass.

Rare copies of the Qur'an dating back from the 13th and 14th centuries, notes on astronomy and historical documents and letters from the ruling Al Khalifa family are exhibited in the hall.

This exhibit focuses on the customs and traditions of Bahrain prior to the discovery of oil in 1932 and its subsequent modernization. Aspects of everyday life such as childhood, marriage, fashion, local religious and medical practices, and the structure of a traditional Bahraini house are exhibited.

Featuring a recreation of a traditional Bahraini souq, this exhibit showcases traditional craftsmen and includes a section on pearl diving, a key component of the country's pre oil economy.