The museum was opened in December 1988. Built on reclaimed land near the Manama-Muharraq causeway intersec¬tion, the complex houses a wealth of information about Bahrain's ancient past. Lifestyles, customs and traditions are traced through the ages and vividly portrayed in mannequin displays. Photographs supplement the lifelike displays.

It is a large, white building with three halls allocated to archaeological artifacts and two halls house exhibits of traditional Bahraini folklore. Foremost among the exhibits is a stunning recreation of a burial mound which was transported from its original site in the island. A scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh is reproduced from the original piece found in Iraq. Traditional trades and crafts are depicted in authentic scenes from the past. Bahrain's earliest archaeologic¬al finds are displayed in the Hall of Dilmun. Old manuscripts of the Quran, notes on astronomy and historical documents, proclamations and letters are exhibited in the Documents and Manuscripts Hall.

Exhibitions from Egypt and Iraq have been on display at the museum.