Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Al-Fateh  Fort, commonly known as Riffa Fort due to its location in Riffa, is a historic landmark and stands witness to one of the most important junctures in Bahrain’s history. Within its beautiful architecture lives the memory of the ruling family of Bahrain, the Al Khalifas. A series of programs organized by the Ministry of Culture has brought life back to the fort.

The fort is quite spacious inside. It was divided into individual chambers, housing the Amir’s army and the royal family. The fort also includes water reservoir and a good drainage system. Strategically located, the fort is also important in terms of national security of Bahrain. It is surrounded by desert and is one of the best places to feel the intensity of windblown over desert sand during the nights.

Riffa fort is a hot spot among the tourist attractions in Bahrain. The views of the Hunanaiya valley from the fort are eye-catching and splendid. The majestic surroundings are picturesque and unpolluted.

The Riffa fort will be hosting a permanent exhibition on the history and traditions of the Al Khalifa family. The Pavilion in which the interactive exhibition is installed is a free-standing structure built within a larger courtyard of the Riffa Fort and is designed to highlight the historical architectural features of the fort. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the fort will also host a cafe with a terrace overlooking the Wadi of Al Hunaynyeh.

The Pavillion's facade simplicity responds to the implicit desire of reflecting the details of the fort architecture and history rather than incorporating a whole new architectural language, the reflection through the glass during the day leave a more mysterious path through the internal light and interactive installations, inviting visitors inside.

Name: Fort Museum
Location: Riffa, Bahrain
Client: Ministry of Culture
Status: Completed