Minted Narratives

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SAUDI ARABIA_ Riyad KSA

The scenography for Minted Narratives: Saudi Arabia’s Legacy in Coins was conceived as an experience entirely shaped around the coins themselves, with the design becoming more than a backdrop, it becomes a central storyteller. The exhibition unfolds as a journey through carefully designed environments, each reflecting the layered meanings and shifting values of coinage across time. Our objective was to let the coins speak, while designing spaces that amplify their narrative power.

We envisioned the exhibition as a gradual progression through a sequence of immersive settings, each crafted in response to the themes and historical periods on display. The experience begins with a classical museographic approach, offering visitors a calm, focused atmosphere for close observation of the earliest coins and their details. As the journey continues, the scenography evolves: spaces open, projections emerge, sounds unfold, and light becomes more expressive, leading the visitor into increasingly atmospheric environments. This transformation mirrors the evolving role of coins, from simple means of exchange to powerful symbols of authority, faith, and identity.

The scenography harmonizes two pivotal forces: the extraordinary cultural and historical value of Dr. Alain Baron's rare collection, and the significance of presenting it in Saudi Arabia, the very land where many of the coins were minted. A dedicated section further enriches this narrative through a selection of treasures and coins from the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s collection.The design carries both meanings, shaping a journey that reconnects the collection to its geographical and cultural roots.

Additionally, as scenographers, we invited sound artist Zimoun to contribute a contemporary visual and sonic installation to the experience, one that reflects the perpetual movement of coins in our world and evokes their connection to water, luck, and sound.

More than a conventional exhibition, Minted Narratives offers a layered experience, moving from intimacy to immersion, observation to engagement, allowing visitors to encounter Saudi Arabia’s numismatic legacy through space, story, and sensation.