Article 70 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 70 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
The activity of operating museums may not be carried out except with a license from the Authority, and the regulations set the conditions for granting this license.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا تجوز مزاولة نشاط تشغيل المتاحف إلا بترخيص من الهيئة، وتحدد اللوائح شروط منح هذا الترخيص.
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 70 explained in plain English
This article regulates the activity of operating museums.
- The activity: operating museums.
- The condition: a license from the Authority.
- License conditions: set by the regulations.
The rule relates to carrying out the operating activity itself, for example where a company or institution takes over managing and operating a museum. No party may carry out this activity except after obtaining a license from the Authority.
The article does not state precisely what falls within "operating", or the license conditions, but refers them to the regulations. It also does not address the relationship between this license and the license needed to establish a museum, so it should not be inferred that one replaces the other.
Under Article 1, a museum is a place where archaeological, artistic, cultural, historical or scientific materials are displayed permanently, whose display achieves cultural, educational or entertainment goals, and which opens its doors to the public at fixed times.
This rule follows Article 69, which requires the Authority's approval to restore registered items that the museum owns. Anyone who wants to enter the field of operating museums, such as cultural-facility management companies, must obtain the license before starting and find out about its conditions in the regulations, and it is wise to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial and corporate matters.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh wins a contract to manage and operate a private museum on behalf of its owner. It may not carry out the operating activity except after obtaining a license from the Authority under the conditions set by the regulations.
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 70 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Does operating a museum require a license?
Yes. The activity of operating museums may not be carried out except with a license from the Authority.
Where do I find the conditions for a museum operating license?
The regulations set the conditions for granting this license.
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 58
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.
تعتمد الهيئة شعاراً باسم (متحف سعودي) يمنح للمتاحف العامة والخاصة، وينتقل الشعار مع المتحف إذا انتقلت ملكيته، وتبين اللوائح الأحكام المتعلقة بمنح الشعار، وتعليق
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.