Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz Public Library (KAPL) has organized several exhibitions on Hajj, selecting their displays from among its collection of three million diverse knowledge resources. The exhibitions feature items that highlight the Hajj ritual and the Two Holy Mosques, document Hajj sites from the Holy Kaaba to Mina and Mount Arafat, and illustrate the significance of these sacred locations as well as the virtues of Makkah and Madinah. They also include collections of photographs, manuscripts, rare books, and Saudi coins once known as 'Hajj receipts.'
According to Saudi Press Agency, the library has previously organized a number of Hajj exhibitions both inside and outside the Kingdom. The exhibition 'Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam,' organized by the King Abdulaziz Public Library in cooperation with the British Museum in London from January 26 to April 15, 2012, offered a unique cultural and spiritual experience that combined the depth and sanctity of the pilgrimage with messages of human coexistence and intercultural dialogue. The exhibition received wide acclaim across European cultural and media circles.
The library coordinated the Saudi participation, which included several national institutions such as the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, King Saud University, and the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. It also hosted a special event in London attended by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and several members of the British Parliament, who commended the Kingdom's efforts in serving the Two Holy Mosques and caring for pilgrims and Umrah performers.
The Saudi pavilion showcased about 51 rare artifacts, along with archival materials and historical and contemporary photographs of the Two Holy Mosques and the holy sites. It also featured a model of the Grand Mosque expansion, which served as a central visual highlight of the exhibition.
The library produced bilingual Arabic and English booklets totaling over 120,000 copies, along with 180,000 rare postcards, as part of an unprecedented effort to promote awareness of Hajj and the Kingdom's development projects related to it. The exhibition drew record attendance in the history of the British Museum, attracting more than 120,000 visitors over twelve weeks, including cultural, academic, and media figures from around the world.