AlUla Storytellers Take Ancient Saudi Heritage Global with Residency at the Smithsonian

Visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) will have a rare opportunity to sit down with storytellers from AlUla, an ancient desert oasis in northwest Saudi Arabia, as two of the destination’s celebrated Rawis take up residence in the heart of Washington, D.C.

From August 7 to 8, Atif Albalawi and Wedad Yaseen, expertly trained cultural interpreters from AlUla, will lead immersive programmes that bring to life the stories, landscapes, and living traditions of a destination often described as the world’s largest living museum. 

For thousands of years, AlUla sat at the heart of the Incense Road, a once vast network of trade routes where camel caravans carried precious goods and ideas between the bustling marketplaces of southern Arabia, Mediterranean, North Africa, Mesopotamia, the Indian Ocean and beyond. Evidence of this heritage – spanning over 7,000 of continuous civilisation – is being uncovered across active archaeological sites, including the ancient cities of Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Dadan – both critical waystations along this route.

Today, AlUla’s Rawis (a title derived from the Arabic word for ‘storyteller’) are trained extensively to interpret the history tangible across these heritage sites for visitors from around the world. Their residency at NMAA brings AlUla’s ancient tradition of intercultural exchange and dialogue to the United States through Qissa bi Qissa – ‘Swap a Story’, a participatory storytelling experience developed in collaboration with UNESCO and AlUla’s Rawis. It will run across three of the four sessions planned, inviting visitors to exchange personal memories and perspectives alongside artefacts tied to human migration, belief and shared experience.

During the residency, the two Rawis will lead a public talk titled ‘AlUla and the Incense Road: An Ancient World in Dialogue’, exploring AlUla’s place within the vast trade network, as well as ‘Once Upon an Incense Road’, a family-friendly storytelling session designed to introduce younger audiences to the region’s myths and landscapes. The Rawis will also host interactive sessions with NMAA’s own academics and curators, exchanging techniques in interpretation and audience connection.

“This residency draws inspiration from AlUla’s extraordinary history, inviting visitors to swap stories the same way travellers along the Incense Road did centuries ago,” said Phillip Jones, Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla. “It reimagines how we introduce and exchange global histories, cultures, places, and people – fostering real, authentic dialogue between people and uncovering the spaces we connect. Wherever our Rawis go, whether Paris, Beijing or now Washington, they carry AlUla’s heritage with them and invite the world to discover just how much we share.”

Chase Robinson, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, said, “The Rawis of AlUla embody a long tradition of Arabian orality,” said Chase Robinson, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. “Our collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla made hosting their visit possible and helps us build a deeper understanding of Arabian art and culture by directly welcoming the people who carry these traditions.”

“It is a privilege to represent AlUla through an institution as credible as the National Museum of Asian Art,” added Atif Albalawi, Rawi at the Royal Commission for AlUla. “Qissa bi Qissa – ‘Swap a Story’ carries forward an ancestral tradition of storytelling and exchange. I’m so proud to continue it here, connecting with new audiences and sharing the story of my home.”

The residency represents an early-stage collaboration between the AlUla and the Smithsonian, one of several agreements signed during the U.S. Presidential visit to Saudi Arabia in May 2025. Alongside the Smithsonian National Zoo’s conservation work with AlUla’s critically endangered Arabian leopards, the collaboration with NMAA reflects a broader ambition to connect American audiences with Saudi Arabia’s heritage.

The residency also marks the latest AlUla-born cultural initiative to present Saudi culture and heritage on the global stage. Previously, Rawis represented AlUla at the UNESCO Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, and the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Further spreading AlUla’s story across the US in parallel to the Rawi residence

All sessions for the NMAA Rawi residency are free and open to the public. Advanced registration is required as space is limited. To reserve tickets, visit this link.

Visit experiencealula.com to learn more about AlUla.