RIYADH: The Museums Commission recently held a virtual meeting titled “Black Gold Museum: Connecting Art, Heritage, History, and Sustainable Development,” featuring several experts.

The meeting was part of a series of cultural discussions to raise public awareness of the role of museums in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The meeting featured Majid Al-Moneef, chairman of the Saudi Association for Energy Economics; Jack Persekian, director of the Black Gold Museum; and artist Ahmed Mater. The session was moderated by Atiyah Al-Rajhi.

Discussions covered the establishment of the Black Gold Museum and its role in showcasing the evolution of the oil industry and its impact on societies and the environment.

The Ministry of Culture, represented by the commission, is currently preparing to open the Black Gold Museum. It will be the first such facility dedicated to presenting how the industry has affected the lives of people.

Speakers noted that petroleum has played a key role in human progress and the development of modern civilization. They emphasized the museum’s role in documenting this history.

The Black Gold Museum will offer an experience that explores the Second Industrial Revolution through art.

Visitors will explore the stages of oil discovery, its connection to human life, and role in improving living standards, the SPA reported.

Participants also discussed the museum’s role in promoting cultural and environmental awareness about oil, and highlighted plans for education and research projects.

They stressed the importance of collaboration among cultural and research institutions and the private sector, including the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center.

The initiative “aligns with the commission’s strategy to enhance the role of regional museums as community institutions,” the SPA reported.

The aim is to connect “the past with the present and fostering cultural interaction to strengthen national identity and build a vibrant cultural future for the Kingdom.”