Article 58 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 58 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
The Authority adopts a "Saudi Museum" logo granted to public and private museums, which passes with the museum if ownership transfers, and the regulations set the provisions on granting, suspending and revoking it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تعتمد الهيئة شعاراً باسم (متحف سعودي) يمنح للمتاحف العامة والخاصة، وينتقل الشعار مع المتحف إذا انتقلت ملكيته، وتبين اللوائح الأحكام المتعلقة بمنح الشعار، وتعليقه، وإلغائه.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 58 explained in plain English
This article creates the "Saudi Museum" logo.
- Who adopts it: the Authority.
- To whom it is granted: public and private museums.
- Its transfer: the logo passes with the museum if ownership transfers; it is tied to the museum, not to the person of its owner.
- Detailed provisions: the regulations set the provisions on granting, suspending and revoking the logo.
The logo is linked to benefits that the Law provides in other articles (see Articles 20, 60 and 63). Note that the logo is granted to public and private museums alike, that holding it is tied to the museum itself, and that the regulations set its conditions.
This provision relates to Article 57, which classifies museums into categories (A), (B) and (C) according to the level of their exhibits and the diversity of their activities.
Note that the logo may be suspended or revoked as the regulations provide, so it is not a permanent benefit without conditions. This article does not state the conditions for granting it.
Someone who buys a museum that holds the logo benefits from its passing with it. When buying or selling a museum, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial and corporate cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 58 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
What is the Saudi Museum logo?
A logo adopted by the Authority and granted to public and private museums; the regulations set the provisions on granting, suspending and revoking it.
Does the logo pass if the museum is sold?
Yes. The logo passes with the museum if ownership transfers.
Can the logo be withdrawn from a museum?
The regulations set the provisions on suspending and revoking the logo.
More articles on Museums and Their Licensing
- Article 20
The article creates the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage Fund to spend on protecting antiquities, building museums and supporting the private sector, and sets its resources from revenues, compensation and donations.
1- ينشأ في الهيئة صندوق يسمى (صندوق الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني)؛ للإنفاق منه على حماية الآثار، والتراث العمراني، والمحافظة عليها، وصيانتها، وعرضها، وتوظيف
- Article 30
The Commission may exchange duplicate movable antiquities, or those with similar specimens, with museums and scientific institutions inside and outside the Kingdom, and lend movable antiquities for display in international museums and exhibitions.
يجوز للهيئة تبادل الآثار المنقولة المكررة، أو التي لها نماذج مع المتاحف والمؤسسات العلمية الداخلية والخارجية، وكذلك إعارة الآثار المنقولة لعرضها في المتاحف والم
- Article 31
The Commission may accept movable antiquities offered to it as a gift or loan, and may keep or display them in the name of the person who offered them.
للهيئة قبول الآثار المنقولة التي تقدم إليها على سبيل الإهداء أو الإعارة، ولها أن تحفظها أو تعرضها باسم مقدمها.
- Article 56
Any person may establish a cultural, heritage, scientific or other museum as a cultural or investment project, after obtaining classification and a license from the Authority and the relevant bodies.
يجوز للشخص إنشاء متحف حضاري، أو تراثي، أو علمي، أو غير ذلك (كمشروع ثقافي، أو استثماري، أو كليهما) وذلك بعد الحصول على تصنيف وترخيص من الهيئة ومن الجهات ذات العل
- Article 57
Museums are classified into three categories (A), (B) and (C) according to the level of their displays and the variety of their activities; anything else is a private collection, and the regulations set the classification criteria.
تصنف المتاحف إلى ثلاث فئات: (أ) و(ب) و(ج) تبعاً لمستوى عروضها وتنوع نشاطاتها، وما عدا ذلك يعد (مجموعات خاصة)، وتحدد اللوائح معايير تصنيف المتاحف.
- Article 59
The article requires a museum to preserve, maintain, study and enrich its collections, display them to the widest possible public, carry out cultural and educational activities, and take part in scientific research.
يجب على المتحف القيام بالآتي: 1 - حفظ المجموعات التي يمتلكها، وصيانتها، وترميمها، ودراستها، وإثراؤها. 2 - عرض مجموعاته، وجعلها متاحة لأكبر فئة من الجمهور. 3 - ت
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.

