“Dhalea Museum is more than just a building that houses artifacts; it stands as a tangible record and a custodian of the historical and collective memory of the governorate and its neighboring regions.”

Khadija Al-Jasri (South24 Center)

In the heart of Dhalea city, the National Museum stands as a silent witness to a long history of civilization and struggle, and as an expression of a cultural identity passed down through generations. Since its opening in February 1983, during the era of the South, the museum has served as a window into the governorate’s past, with artifacts and collections that tell the stories of the people of the South across the ages—from ancient civilizations to the stages of the national struggle against colonialism.

Yet this cultural edifice, regarded as the sole guardian of Dhalea’s history and a living memory for its people, is currently experiencing one of its most difficult phases: its walls are crumbling, its collections deteriorating, and its doors are closed to visitors—a scene that reflects the decline in attention to heritage and cultural identity in the country.

Through this report, South24 Center sheds light on the history of the Dhalea Museum and its collections, documents its current reality and challenges, and reviews the official and community efforts aimed to rescue it and restore life to this landmark that represents an authentic part of South heritage and collective memory.

A selection of ancient household utensils on display at the Dhalea Museum, November 9, 2025 (South24 Center)

History of the Museum and Its Collections

During a visit by a South24 Center team to the Dhalea National Museum, we encountered a historical memory that reflects the noble past of the governorate. The museum is organized into five main sections:

1. Heritage, Folk Customs and Popular Traditions

- It displays traditional costumes, jewelry, and ancient tools that were part of the daily life of Dhalea’s people.

2. Jewelry and Archaeological Possessions

- It houses pieces representing the material heritage of the local community.

3. Antiquities and Ancient Inscriptions

- It features artifacts dating back to ancient civilizations that Dhalea was either part of or in contact with, such as the kingdoms of Saba and Himyar.

4. History of the National Struggle

- It showcases photographs of martyrs and fighters from Dhalea and other South governorates, along with rifles and daggers used by revolutionaries during the October 14 Revolution against British colonialism.

5. Section Five: Documentation and archiving

- This section displays documents, photographs, and letters that capture and preserve the governorate’s historical and political memory.

Portraits of resistance figures on display at Dhalea National Museum, 9 November 2025 (South24 Center)

In an interview with South24 Center, Fadl Mahmoud, Director of the Antiquities Office in Dhalea Governorate, said that the museum, located in the city center, is considered one of the most prominent cultural landmarks in the governorate. He explained that it contains rare archaeological artifacts made of limestone, calcareous stone and marble, alongside ancient weapons, household tools and traditional clothing that represent a facet of the governorate’s rich heritage.

Fadl Mahmoud pointed out that most of these collections were gathered from historic areas, most notably Shakaa and Al-Damnah, and from a number of villages across various districts.

Regarding the importance of the museum, historian Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Talib told South24 Center that the Dhalea Museum is more than just a building that houses artifacts -- “It stands as a tangible record and a custodian of the historical and collective memory of the governorate and its neighboring regions.”

He added: “The museum was an educational and cultural center visited by students, researchers and school trips, as well as a destination for foreign missions from France, Britain and Russia, which reflects its scientific and historical value.”

A stone slab inscribed in the Musnad Himyaritic-script, dating back to the 2nd century AD, displayed at Dhalea Museum, 9 Nov 2025 — (South24 Center).

Ali Mohsen Sinan, Director of the Culture and Tourism Office in Dhalea Governorate, affirms the museum’s significance. He told to South24 Center: “The establishment of the Dhalea Museum came as a necessity to document and preserve the governorate’s history and its diverse customs and traditions, in addition to commemorating the history of the liberation and revolutionary struggle -- from tribal uprisings to independence.”

He added: “The museum, which was founded under the supervision of the prominent national figure in the State of the South, Ali Antar1, represents a qualitative shift in the attention given to Dhalea’s history and its civilizational heritage.”

Current reality and challenges

Four decades after its founding, the Dhalea National Museum faces a difficult reality that threatens what remains of its cultural memory. Its walls and roof have deteriorated due to neglect and lack of maintenance, and many of its collections have been damaged or lost.

A view of Dhalea Museum, 9 November 2025 (South24 Center).

Abdulsalam Qasim Mosaad, Director General of the Media Office and Director of the Governor’s Office of Dhalea, said in a statement to South24 Center that the ongoing war in the governorate has left its destructive imprint on various sectors, including infrastructure, institutions, and economic, developmental and historical projects.

He explained that the continuation of battle frontlines on Dhalea’s borders with the Houthi militia for more than ten years has negatively impacted the social and psychological health of the population, in addition to the financial pressures that have burdened both the local and central economies.

Mosaad pointed out that Dhalea Museum has been among the most affected by this war, as its contents and infrastructure were significantly damaged because of the continuing security conditions on the governorate’s borders.

Rifles of the October 14, 1963, revolutionaries against British colonial rule. 9 Nov 2025 (South24 Center)

The Director of the Antiquities Office in Dhalea pointed out that the museum is currently passing through a critical phase due to the deterioration of its infrastructure, the absence of official support, and the lack of any allocated budget for the Antiquities Office that he heads.

He added that there is a shortage of security guards at the museum, and that the administration needs a dedicated room for the guards equipped with basic services such as a restroom, in addition to surveillance cameras to protect the collections. He stated that the Antiquities Office has submitted a list of all the museum’s needs to the General Authority for Antiquities, and from there to UNESCO, but so far has not received any response or actual support.

Fadl Mahmoud stressed that the museum needs comprehensive attention that includes restoration and the reorganization of archaeological pieces inside glass display cases (vitrines), along with explanatory labels for each piece.

A selection of archaeological artifacts on display at Dhalea Museum. 9 November 2025 (South24 Center)

The Director of the Culture and Tourism Office in the governorate Ali Mohsen Sinan noted that “the 1994 summer war against the South, and the subsequent episodes, especially the 2015 war, led to the destruction and looting of many of the museum’s collections.”

He added: “Today the museum is in dire need of full rehabilitation, the introduction of modern display methods and techniques, as well as efforts to recover the looted items.”

Ali Mohsen Sinan appreciated the visit of the tourism promotion delegation, headed by Director of the Tourism Promotion Fund, Entisar Al-Hadali, to Dhalea in late October to review the museum’s condition. He expressed hope that these efforts would contribute to reviving the museum as a civilizational and cultural landmark that introduces future generations and visitors to the governorate’s distinguished history.

Historian Dr. Abdullah Ahmed pointed to an important aspect of the challenges and problems facing the Dhalea Museum, namely the absence of attention from experts specializing in history and antiquities within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other competent bodies, in addition to the absence of local associations and initiatives concerned with antiquities and heritage.

A limestone head sculpture dating back to the 2nd century AD, exhibited at the Dhalea Museum. 9 November 2025 (South24 Center)

Nevertheless, the historian expressed hope for fruitful results from the recent visit by the Tourism Promotion Council.

Efforts to Revive the Museum

Fadl Mahmoud, Director of the Antiquities Office, referred to a recently concluded agreement between the leadership of Dhalea Governorate and the Government’s Tourism Promotion Council, aimed at supporting and rehabilitating the museum as part of a plan to protect cultural sites in the governorate.

A human‑form limestone statue from the Himyarite kingdom dating back to the 2nd century AD, exhibited at Dhalea Museum. 9 Nov 2025 (South24 Center)

He explained that the agreement includes allocating a symbolic operational budget and providing media support to highlight the museum’s importance and its historical standing, expecting that this will contribute to improving the working environment inside the museum and raising community awareness of the value of heritage.

He pointed out that the plan also includes training specialized staff to improve the museum’s performance and for technical supervision, in addition to training security personnel to protect and preserve the collections. He affirmed that implementing these measures will constitute as a first step toward restoring the museum to its cultural and touristic role in the governorate.

For her part, Al-Hadali, told South24 Center that the project to restore the Dhalea Museum and the archaeological sites in the governorate was submitted two years ago to the Tourism Promotion Council, and that it also included the palaces of the princes of Dhalea, guest houses and historical sites in the governorate.

Al-Hadali explained that several meetings were held in recent months with Governor Major General Ali Maqbil, which resulted in an official agreement with the Tourism Promotion Council to implement the project starting in 2026.

A limestone head statue dating back to the 2nd–3rd century AD exhibited at Dhalea Museum. 9 Nov 2025 (South24 Center)

She added that the first phase of the project will include the restoration of Dhalea Museum and the guest house in Jahaf and converting them into tourist facilities with the aim of revitalizing the tourism sector in the governorate.

She noted that implementation will be carried out through a public tender managed by the governorate to contract with one of the local contracting companies. She also stated that the Tourism Promotion Council has requested that the governorate’s districts submit a comprehensive database of tourist and archaeological sites in need of restoration, so that an integrated plan can be developed to implement cultural and tourism projects gradually in Dhalea.

Abdulsalam Qasim Mosaad affirmed that the local authority recognizes the importance of preserving the governorate’s cultural and historical heritage, foremost among them the National Museum. He pointed to continuous efforts by the local authority to obtain governmental or external funding to rehabilitate the museum and historical buildings and landmarks.

Despite the deterioration suffered by the Dhalea National Museum and the multiple challenges it faces, it still carries within its walls the scent of history and the voice of the past. Every archaeological piece, every photograph of a fighter, every inscription carved on stone represents a part of Dhalea’s and The South’s identity, and the collective memory of its people.

Amid scenes of the decay and the glimmer of hope, the restoration initiatives and revival attempts launched by the authorities remain a ray of promise along a long road to reclaim the glory of this historic edifice and other glories and landmarks of Dhalea Governorate, a region known for historical roles and exceptional influence that continue to this day and will also in the future.