The International Fair and Museum of the Prophet's Biography and Islamic Civilization — Attraction in Medina Province

What a scam. Shame on the Museum to be located right in front of the Messenger (PBUH) and about his Seerah and con people. This is a genuine review and I truly hope people read this and do not waste their money. I am a positive person - you can read all my reviews on Google - I have never left a negative review but unfortunately this place has compelled me to do so.

We visited last week when we were in the Blessed City. The cost is SAR 40 per person including for each of my children - this seemed a lot pricy but we thought it must be really good to justify this. There was some guilt because there were a lot of people asking about the cost and once they find out, they leave as cannot afford it. However, they are the lucky ones that didnt put their money down a drain.

Anyway, when you enter, you have a guide. There are lots of screens with lots of information. Our guide started off telling us a bit about the seerah and then quickly moved between a few screens - skips most of them and just chose what he wanted. One lady mentioned he was going too fast and he abruptly said they have 60 screens and if he doesnt go fast, he will not be able to cover them. This was a bare-faced lie because in reality he never tried, nor was his intention to cover everything. In the whole tour, we barely saw 10 screens.

The screens are interactive and have a lot of information - for example, the Prophet's characteristics or the food he ate. The Guide would simply load it, click on a few like dates, pumpkin and brag about what they have created in the museum. In actual fact, they have created superb interactive and informative screens but the downside is that you DO NOT get a chance to look through them. You are at the mercy of your guide who cannot wait to get rid of you and take the next batch of poor pilgrims - you feel like cattle being moved from pen to pen.

After moving between a few screens and showing us a model of Makaah and Madinah, you are taken to a room for 3-D viewing of old items. This is a joke - there are items on the screen and you just move them around with your fingers. If you want something like this, just Google for an item and use your mouse at home!

Then they took us to a 5 minute movie.... this is a laugh - people walking like Zombies in between houses in old Makkah. When you imagine how realistic video games are these days, couldnt they have hired professionals and not used amateurs for something like this.

Anyway, within 10 minutes it was over. Before you know it, you are sent into a Gift shop to Exit. Everyone was shocked. We were expecting a lot more. Even my kids aged 9 to 16 found it boring.

We asked the receptionist in the gift shop why we didnt get a book which some reviewers mention - she just said "finished". I said so we get nothing? She was obviously irritated and rudely said "No"! I went back to the front and asked if there is any way I could get photos of the models of old Makkah and Madinah at least so can study where the houses of the Sahabah were and he pointed me to the QR code and said it is all on our website. Well, unsurprisingly they are not - the website is all about booking.

Please, please dont waste your money. Buy a KG of Ajwah dates instead. They will satisfy you more than this.

My advise to the museum and the Guides is fear Allah (swt). Either keep the cost the same but let pilgrims spend more time and use the interactive screens themselves and learn more, or reduce the cost and do what you currently do - you seem to have good reviews which are probably from pilgrims who are impressed with the brief seerah introduction and basic graphics so there does seem to be a demand for this. Alternatively, have big hearts and make it free like a...

I took the time to write a detailed letter for the place as i really liked the concept but didn't like the delivery. Basic information shared verbally, trying hard to sell something that already sold (we are Muslims the majority at least we know the beauty of Islam, we didn't need to remind that in very generic way, share how its beautiful instead would be much better) the French guy was skipping many information to inform us the sources are from Quraan and Suna, and its trustworthy sources, mentioned at least 5 times, yes we know please share information about the actual history please!!!!) (Basix info known to almost all Muslims)any way, regarding the email I've sent, I received a very generic reply. I suspect they even took the time to read it as they start their letter with dear.... And they reply with Wa Alikum Alsalam stating that they didn't bother to read the message as i forgot to start my letter with As Salamu Alikum!! anyway here is my email as I sent it:

I hope this email finds you well. I recently had the opportunity to visit the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet's Biography and Islamic Civilization, and while I greatly appreciated the concept and dedication behind such a noble endeavor, I wanted to share some feedback to help enhance the visitor experience.

Duration of the Tour: The tour was quite brief, lasting only 35 minutes. This felt insufficient to truly grasp the rich and profound history of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. A longer tour would allow for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the content being presented.

Interactive Features: While the museum is described as interactive, visitors were unable to engage with the screens or other interactive elements during the time we were there. This was disappointing, as interactive features are key to making the experience more engaging and educational, particularly for younger visitors.

Pacing of the Tour: The tour guide appeared to be rushing, which left little room for us to explore independently or fully absorb the information. This was particularly challenging as I had brought my children, who needed more time to engage with the exhibits at their own pace.

Option for Self-Guided Tours: I believe it would be beneficial to offer a self-guided tour option. This would provide visitors with the flexibility to explore the exhibits at their own pace and focus on areas of particular interest.

I deeply respect the work being done to preserve and share the Prophet’s biography and Islamic civilization, and I hope this feedback is received in the spirit of constructive improvement. Thank you for your efforts, and I look forward to seeing how the museum evolves to enhance the experience for...

I was really happy to see that there is a museum in Medina dedicated to the life of the Prophet ﷺ. It’s such a meaningful initiative, and I appreciate that there are efforts to create immersive experiences around Islamic history. However, my overall experience with the International Fair and Museum of Civilization was a bit disappointing.

The tour felt very rushed. You’re guided through a set path, and the whole experience is expected to be completed in about 40–45 minutes. While the guide shares some information, there’s not much opportunity to pause, reflect, or dive deeper into the content at your own pace. There are screens with additional information, but unfortunately, our group was quite crowded, and there wasn’t enough space for everyone to comfortably view or interact with them. That really took away from the learning experience.

The guide also mentioned the ETHAF app for those wanting to explore the content further after the visit. I downloaded it, but to my surprise, access to the museum content through the app requires a monthly subscription, with around $10 charged per screen. That felt like a bit of a rip-off—especially after already paying 40–45 SAR for entry. It seemed overly commercialized, which was disheartening given the significance of the subject matter.

If I am not mistaken guide mentioned that the museum is the result of 17 years of research and preparation, but to be honest, the content presented felt quite basic. Most of us visiting are already familiar with the foundational aspects of Islam. We were hoping for deeper insights, more thoughtful storytelling, or access to rare knowledge.

As an alternative, I also visited the Safiya Museum during the same trip. It was much more spacious, less crowded, and although it was also guided, it didn’t feel rushed. You could linger in areas that interested you, and overall the experience felt more respectful of the visitor’s curiosity and pace. It was also more affordable—25 SAR compared to the 40–45 SAR I paid at the International Fair—and I felt like it offered much better value.

In short, I deeply respect the intention behind the International Fair and Museum of Civilization, but I think the experience could be significantly improved—especially in terms of pacing, space, access to information, and overall visitor autonomy. For those looking for a more relaxed and meaningful museum experience in Medina, I’d recommend checking out the As Safiyyah...