Dar Al Madinah Museum

Saudi Arabia


An excellent guided tour in English takes visitors through this private museum's interesting collection, which includes models showing the evolution of the Prophet's Mosque, and one revealing the layout of the interior of his sealed tomb. Other artefacts from various Islamic eras are also here, but the headline item is an original red and black Ottoman mahmal (ceremonial hajj palanquin) dating from 1792. In its day it would have been the centrepiece of an Ottoman hajj caravan. Located 10km east of the city centre.