Nassif House Museum -Jeddah

Located in the Old Town of Jeddah, Al Balad, the historic Nassif House was constructed in the late 1800s for Omar Nasseef Efendi, who was the governor of Jeddah at that time and has served as a museum and cultural center since 2009.

The Nassif House is also called “The House with the Tree” because it opens onto a square, where there is a neem tree which used to be somewhat of a rarity and this was the only one in Jeddah up until the 1920s.

Architecture and Attractions

The museum owes its Ottoman-style architecture to the Turkish architect who came up with the initial design for Nassif House. Despite going through several renovations, the Nassif House museum still preserves its Ottoman architecture. 

The museum’s central hall leads to the rectangular rooms and stairs to the south. Many of its rooms consist of artwork that dates back to the 19th century. The doors and hallways boast Arabic calligraphy that was done originally by Ottoman Turks.

There are two large Bay windows at the front side of the house, spanning over two levels above the main door. These windows have now become a staple of traditional Jeddah architecture. The ground floor is raised because of cisterns underneath it that store rainwater and keep the lower floors of the house cool. The museum also houses a library that has around 16,000 books belonging to King Abdulaziz University’s central library.

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