InterContinental Bahrain

The Avenues - Bahrain is the first shopping & Leisure destination of its kind in the Kingdom of Bahrain, with a unique seafront location stretching 1.5 km. strategically located in the heart of Manama, along King Faisal Road. The development brings a new concept to the Kingdom, with a design inspired by The Avenues - Kuwait that gives the visitors an outdoor feeling while remaining indoors, protected from the heat by a ceiling that allows sunlight in. The project’s leasing space is around 40,000 sqm includes 130 stores, 50% are allocated for restaurants and cafes which will overlook Bahrain Bay. It also includes a large family entertainment area such as a special play hall, 10 cinemas, public parks, walkways and parking spaces.

The Bahrain National Museum was officially inaugurated by the late Amir H.H. Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa on 15 December 1988. It was considered one of the finest museums of its kind in the Gulf region. Today, the Bahrain National Museum is one of the island’s main cultural landmarks. Conceived and designed by Krohn and Hartvig Rasmussen, the outstanding building is characterized by its white travertine marble facade and is centrally located on an artificial peninsula overlooking the island of Muharraq. The museum complex is composed of two connected buildings with approximately 20,000 square metres of floor space. The main building houses the permanent exhibition area, temporary exhibition halls, an art gallery, a lecture hall, gift shop and café. The administrative offices, curatorial research areas, conservation laboratories, exhibition construction and collection storage areas are located in the administrative building. The Museum is the repository of 6000 years of Bahrain’s history. The story of Bahrain comes to life in the Halls of Graves, Dilmun, Tylos and Islam, Customs and Traditions, Traditional Trades and Crafts, and Documents and Manuscripts. The exhibition halls, located on the ground and first floors, are accessed by the grand foyer, a large dramatic space accented by shafts of natural light, which hosts the exhibition, “Investing in Culture”.

Known as Dilmun in ancient times, Bahrain’s rich trading history is reflected in numerous archaeological sites, the most fascinating of which is the Bahrain Fort site that is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort is located atop a 17.5-hectare artificial hill that has been built over more than 4000 years of continuous occupation. It is the site of the former capital of Dilmun and one of the most archaeological sites in the Arabian Gulf. The excavations over the past 50 years have revealed residential, public, commercial and military structures that testify to the importance of the site over the centuries. These findings are brought to life by an audio guide available at the site museum. Open to the public since 2008, the site museum display area consists of 5 exhibition halls organized around a massive Tell Wall. With 500 artifacts showcased, the long settlement history of the site is evoked to the unique backdrop of the wall, which recreates the different archaeological layers uncovered at the site. The seaside café of the museum offers a stunning view over the fort and the surrounding palm groves.

Bab Al Bahrain is a historical building located in the Customs Square in central business district of Manama. It marks the main entrance to the Manama Souq. Opened in 1949 and designed by the British adviser to the emir, Charles Belgrave, Bab Al Bahrain once stood on the Manama coastline.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority was established in 2015 under the Royal Decree number (76) for the year 2015 issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain. Whereas the first clause of the Decree number (10) stated that an authority should be established under the supervision of the Council of Ministers In 2015, BTEA started its operations under the Decree number (9) for the year 2015 to append the Tourism Affairs to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce based on the recommendation of HRH Prime Minister and under the law number (62) of the year 2016 to establish and regulate the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA) and the Decree number (1) for the year 1985 to establish a Supreme Council for Tourism, and the law number (15) for the year 1986 to regulate the Tourism sector amended by a Law by Decree number (12) for the year 1994. Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA)’s scope of work includes all sectors related to national tourism affairs in the Kingdom: organize conventions and trade exhibitions in the Kingdom of Bahrain; attract international, regional and local conferences to be hosted in the Kingdom; establish, manage, promote and maintain the Authority’s conventions and exhibitions centers directly or through specialized companies or firms BTEA establishes solely or in partnership with others for the same purpose; grant licenses for conventions and trade exhibitions, supervise and assess them. The Tourism sector aims to attract prominent international events that engage large number of tourists and strengthen the position of Bahrain as an important tourism attraction on a regional and international level. BTEA also aspires to boost the Tourism sector’s contribution in the national economy, in line with the Bahrain Economic vision 2030 and toward achieving the goals of the Economic Development Board.