The corners of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its capital, and its cities are filled with many cultural institutions that confirm the status of the Kingdom and its civilizational rise among the countries of the world. The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture "Ithra" is one of these distinctive landmarks, which, after being launched with the honor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz – may d protect him – in December 2016, transformed into a beacon for knowledge, an icon for creativity, and a edifice for cultural and civilizational communication with the world, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in transforming into a knowledge society.

Perhaps what confirms the importance of the "Ithra" center and the position it has occupied globally in a short time is the selection by the American "Time" magazine of the center, located in the city of Dhahran in the Eastern Province, as one of the 100 greatest sites in the world for the year 2018.

The Time magazine list included a group of sites from (48) countries around the world, including five sites in the Arab world: the Ithra Center, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, Warner World Abu Dhabi, the Al-Qarawiyyin Library in Morocco, and the Marriott Mena House Hotel in Egypt.

Knowledge Enrichment:

King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture "Ithra" is a cultural center owned by Saudi Aramco. The center is located at the same site where the first oil well was discovered in the Kingdom. The center's design is in the form of a group of stacked stones that include many sections, including unique practical and collective educational tools in various fields of science that suit all age groups.

The Great Hall:

The Great Hall in the center, which hosted the center's inauguration ceremony with the honor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz - may d protect him - in 2016, is a unique architectural masterpiece in its design, and Ithra's communication center with other cultures through holding visiting exhibitions and events from all over the world, in addition to conferences that target 500,000 visitors annually.

The Great Hall combines in its modernist design solid metals and historical decorations with an area estimated at 1,600 square meters, as its floor was made of recycled bamboo wood. Its width is 30 meters and its length reaches 45 meters. It also enjoys curved corners and brilliant lighting from perforated copper plates.

The hall consists of large spaces free of columns that accommodate more than 2,000 people. Its walls are surrounded by huge television screens, in addition to other television screens hanging in various parts of the hall. It also enjoys a wonderful interior design.

The "Ithra" center celebrated on the fourth of Rabi` al-Akhir 1441 AH the visual identity of the Group of Twenty, which the Kingdom chaired starting from the first of December 2019 and continued its presidency until its meeting in the city of Riyadh on November 20-21, 2020.

Global Cultural Vision:

The center includes a group of sections that work on the cross-pollination of Arab and international cultures. It includes a library containing 250,000 books in Arabic and English, ranging from printed and digital. The "Knowledge Tower" provides 2,000 workshops annually in all fields of knowledge such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and skill-building for individuals, in partnership with the best specialized international and local educational institutions.

The museum comes within the components of the center with a panoramic vision to rediscover Saudi culture in a historical journey through (4) art galleries, each of which focuses on a specific scope of expression and cultural understanding. The visitor starts from contemporary Saudi art, then Saudi identity and heritage, passing through Islamic art and civilization, and ending with the natural history of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Children's Museum, dedicated to children up to the age of twelve, is considered the first of its kind in the Kingdom, to become a place to develop their cognitive and personal skills through exhibitions and activities that help them discover themselves and build their confidence through entertaining educational programs.

The Ithra Center works on building bridges with the other, and becoming a distinguished knowledge source. The center also sponsors creativity, contributes to improving cultural life in society, highlights national talents, and provides opportunities for volunteer work as the basic act of citizenship, as it is considered a means to build personal skills and provide practical experiences by providing enriching volunteer opportunities.