The Qal'at al-Bahrain, also known as the Bahrain Fort or Portuguese Fort, is an archaeological site located in Bahrain. Archaeological excavations carried out since 1954 have unearthed antiquities from an artificial mound of 12 m height containing seven stratified layers, created by various occupants from 2300 BC up to the 18th century, including Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians.

Bu Maher Fort, which was built in 1840, is steeped in seafaring and pearling history and forms the first stop in the historical pearling path having once served as the main fishing harbor and gateway to and from the sea.

It is actually the remains of three different temples built one on top of the other. The oldest temple is built around 3000 BCE and is dedicated to Enki, the God of Freshwater. Radio Carbon Dating established the second Barbar Temple in Bahrian around 2500 B.C., while the third one, excavated by Danish team, is estimated to have been built between 2100B.C. and 2000 B.C.

From that big house that once housed the council of Sheikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, as well as his library, correspondence, and intellectual and cultural meetings, nothing remains except for a single memory, faithful in its gestures and details. The memory that carries the details of his life, the personal belongings that remained after his death, is today the witness and guardian of time.

The Al Ghous House is one of the 16 world heritage properties that make up the Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy UNESCO World Heritage site in Muharraq. The house allows an insight into the life of a diver, the first person to make contact with the pearl, which stimulated the far-reaching pearling economy.

The Kurar House was established on 12 March 2007 to preserve the dying and unique Bahraini art of Kurar embroidery. The building provides a venue for elderly Bahraini ladies to pass on the art of the Kurar to younger generations. The Shaikh Ebrahim Center furthermore promotes the art and production of Kurar by supporting the artisans in their production and marketing of Kurar-embroidered clothes.

The Abdullah Al Zayed House for Bahraini Press Heritage was the first restoration project undertaken by the Shaikh Ebrahim Center with private sponsors. The newly restored 100-year old building. Being the house of the founder of the first weekly newspaper in Bahrain and the Gulf, the house is dedicated to the preservation of Bahrain’s press heritage and at the same time preserves part of the country’s unique architectural traditions.

The House of Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa was his residence and the seat of his government.  This beautiful house offers insight into the royal life in the 19th century. It consists of several rooms arranged around four courtyards and characterized by its wind towers. It is considered one of the most impressive example of Gulf Islamic architecture on the island. 

Arad Fort is a 15th-century fort in Arad, Bahrain. Formerly guarding a separate island of its own, the fort and its surroundings have since been joined to Muharraq Island. Arad Fort was built in the typical style of Islamic forts during the 15th century before the Portuguese invasion of Bahrain in AD 1622. This fort has a beautiful history. A few feuds between the Islamic divisions of Bahrain have taken place here. This fort is one of the compact defensive forts in Bahrain.

The Khamis Mosque is believed to be the first mosque in Bahrain, built during the era of the Umayyad caliph Umar II. According to Al Wasat journalist Kassim Hussain, other sources mention that it was built in a later era during the rule of Uyunids with one minaret. The second was built two centuries later during the rule of Usfurids.

Diraz is home to an impressive archaeological discovery dating back to 3rd millennium BC. The Diraz Temple is unique in that it was built using enormous limestone columns and alters. For history and archaeology buffs it is a must see.

The Bin Matar House was built on reclaimed land in 1905 and at the time was surrounded by the sea on three sides. Supervised by the Bahraini master builder Mussa bin Hamad, the building was constructed in a traditionally Bahraini manner, using palm tree trunks, sea-stone and gypsum.

The house of Ahmed bin Jasim Siyadi, a former well-known pearl merchant in the  19th century, is a beautiful example of a historic style building that Muharraq is known for. Its three story façade features uniquely curved corners and beautiful stucco work. The house is part of a larger complex of buildings that contain a mosque and majlis. The house is included in the “Pearling: Testimony of an Island Economy” project and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

The Nukhidhah house is one of the houses located on the future“Pearl Walk”, as a part of the project “Pearling and its cultural landscapes in Bahrain”.

The poet Ghazi al-Gosaibi is commemorated at two locations, one of which is in Bahrain, where some of the most beautiful memories of his life are preserved at his home in the Fadel neighborhood of Manama. This cultural site boasts beautiful traditional architecture that has been preserved as an effort to honor the culture.

Built on the site of the Majlis of Sheikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the center functions as a forum for dialogue between people in philosophy, literature, poetry, culture and the arts. It consists of several houses spread around Muharraq and one in Manama, all showcasing different aspects of Bahrain's rich heritage.

Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Al-Fateh  Fort, commonly known as Riffa Fort due to its location in Riffa, is an 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.

Amongst Bahrain’s mysterious ancient remains are the thousands of burial mounds that dominate the landscape north of the Island. Spanning the Dilmun era (3rd to 1st millennium BC) to the Tylos era (200 BC to 300 AD) the burial mounds are unique in terms of sheer number and concentration. The best preserved and most impressive mounds are the royal burial mounds in the village of A’ali.

The Saar settlement features an entire residential quarter comprising well-preserved courtyard houses, a temple and a very unique honeycomb shaped cemetery. The 3rd millennium BC siteoffers fascinating insights into the daily life of the ancient inhabitants of Bahrain.

One of Manama’s most unique houses, Khalaf House exemplifies the city’s strong ties to the history of pearls and trade. The building was donated by the Khalaf family to be a cultural landmark, honoring the significant role of pearling merchants in the history of Bahrain, and is now affiliated with the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research.

The building that happens in the shape of the dream, in the form of pictures and visions and displays, has its home too. Things that come to life have their place of creation, and their place, in Jamsheer House, which was founded as a joint project between the French Institute, the Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa Center for Research and Culture, and Bank Paribas.

The Mohammed bin Faris Sut Music House was opened on 12 September, 2005 as a museum commemorating the achievements of the Bahraini singer and musician Mohamed bin Faris. Mohamed bin Faris was a master of a type of music that originated in the Arabian Gulf region, the Sut. Mohammed bin Faris brought Sut music to new heights and gave it a particularly Bahraini form.

A gathering place for poetry and poets, the Poetry House was the residence of Ibrahim Al Arrayed, Bahrain’s foremost figure in poetry and literature for over half a century. Guests can explore his private office and peruse the volumes of poetry collections housed within its library. The house is part of the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research.

In this house specifically, you will see: how it became a city? How it grew? What were its first features? And the context for an entire life Muharraq lived in the nineteen eighties. The Architectural Heritage House is home to the artistic works, drawings, architectural photographs gathered or drawn by the architect John Yarwood in homage to his
stay in the city of Muharraq between 1 983 and 1985.