Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Apr 09, 2026

Ali Gana's House: A Family's Quest to Create Libya's First Modern Art Museum

Ali Gana's House: A Family's Quest to Create Libya's First Modern Art Museum

The villa of late Libyan artist Ali Gana in Tripoli has been transformed into the first and only modern art museum in Libya by his youngest daughter Hadia.
The museum, named Bayt Ali Gana, showcases a lifetime of the artist's works and took a decade to establish with the help of volunteers.

The museum opened this year in a country still dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 revolution and where arts and culture often take a back seat due to ongoing violence and instability.

Gana, a ceramic artist and owner of a museum in Libya, expressed that the focus of galleries in the country is solely on selling art pieces rather than making it accessible to the public.

The museum, which features permanent exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, and sketches by Ali Gana, also includes temporary exhibitions, seminar rooms, and a workshop space.

An old shipping container on the museum's premises serves as an artist residency for curators and museologists to address the scarcity of such skills in Libya.

Gana, who lived through four decades of censorship under Qaddafi's rule, emphasized the importance of artistic freedom and the need for art to be accessible without barriers.

Bayt Ali Gana, a villa in Libya, has a timeless appearance but shows signs of the unrest following Qaddafi's overthrow.

The property, which includes a museum and private residence, has bullet-riddled road signs and upside-down mortar shells in the garden.

During the 2011 unrest, Hadia Gana feared losing her father's precious works and archives, leading her to create a museum.

Challenges include sporadic fighting, utility cuts, and isolation due to Covid, all while avoiding state funding or investors to maintain independence.

The house of Ali Gana, a Libyan artist, has transformed into a cultural center celebrating his legacy of teaching and educating through art.

It is not a mausoleum but a hub of creativity and education, according to his daughter.

Gana's archives document traditional crafts and trades that have disappeared due to a 40-year ban on private enterprise imposed by Qaddafi in 1969.

Gana's oldest son, Mehdi, who now lives in the Netherlands, described his father's mission to build archives to connect Libya's past to a possible future.

The family values preserving and sharing knowledge.

Hadia Gana expressed her disappointment that museums in Libya are not seen as educational spaces yet.

She aimed to create a museum that is interactive and engaging, rather than a static and transfixed one.

Her goal was to make the museum lively, playful, and curious, inspiring visitors with its beauty.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
King Street Aligns with Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund to Expand Alternative Investments in Middle East
Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Hub Raises Global Supply Concerns
Debate Emerges Over Saudi Strategic Decisions as Gulf Cooperation Council Dynamics Come Into Focus
Saudi Arabia Expands Full Workforce Localisation to 69 Professions in Major Labour Reform
Emerging Alliance of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia Signals New Regional Power Dynamic Amid Iran Conflict
Iran Linked to Strikes Across Gulf States Following Refinery Attack Escalation
Saudi Arabia Voices Concern Over Fragile US–Iran Ceasefire Stability
Starmer Warns Sustained Effort Needed to Ensure US–Iran Ceasefire Holds
Saudi Arabia’s Key East-West Oil Pipeline Targeted Following Ceasefire Announcement
Iran Targets Saudi Arabia’s East-West Oil Pipeline in Escalating Regional Tensions
Trump Warns of Civilizational Stakes as Iran Halts Negotiations
Saudi Companies Expand Remote Work Measures Ahead of Iran-Related Security Concerns
Iran Warns of Strikes on Saudi Energy Infrastructure if US Targets Its Facilities
Iran Urges Civilians to Form Human Shields Around Nuclear Sites as Diplomatic Deadline Approaches
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premiums Amid Supply Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Key Saudi-Bahrain Causeway Closed Amid Heightened Security Concerns Linked to Iran
Formula One Calendar Gap Explained as Fans Await Next Grand Prix
Growing Strain on the Petrodollar System Comes Into Focus Amid Iran Conflict
Reported Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Complex Raises Global Energy Supply Concerns
FedEx Introduces New Digital Tool to Streamline Imports into Saudi Arabia
Iran Claims Strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail Petrochemical Complex Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Taiwan to Source Oil Shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Ports
Saudi Arabia Evacuates Riyadh Financial District as Precaution Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Balances Ambitious Economic Vision Amid Regional Tensions and Financial Pressures
Budget Saudi Arabia Reports Strong Full-Year 2025 Financial Performance
Saudi Arabia Expands Investment in Capcom With Stake Reaching Six Percent
Saudi Arabia Assesses Significant Economic Impact From Regional Conflict Involving Iran
US Beef Secures Expanded Market Access in Saudi Arabia
Jordan and Saudi Arabia Declare Absolute Solidarity in Response to Iranian Threats
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premium Amid Strong Market Demand
California’s Salton Sea Emerges as Strategic Lithium Hub for Clean Energy Future
Iranian Drone Strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Targeted Intelligence Facility
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Meets French Embassy Official to Strengthen Bilateral Engagement
Saudi Arabia Calls on United States to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape Middle East
Dating Apps Surge in Saudi Arabia as Social Norms Rapidly Evolve Among Youth
Saudi Arabia Detains Over Fourteen Thousand Illegal Residents in Week-Long Enforcement Drive
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Talks with Pakistan, Kuwait and Latvia on Regional Developments
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Cruise Missile as Regional Tensions Intensify
Saudi Stock Market Edges Higher as Tadawul Index Records Modest Gain
Underlying Rivalry Between Saudi Arabia and UAE Persists Despite Temporary Calm
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Sector Contracts in March as Regional Tensions Weigh on Business Activity
Saudi Arabia Unveils Ambition to Establish Prestigious Global Prize Rivaling the Nobel
Saudi Crown Prince to Engage Wall Street in Push for Investment and Economic Expansion
Iran Accuses Saudi Arabia and UAE After Downing of Chinese-Made Drone
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on Hospital in Sudan, Calls for Protection of Civilians
Coordinated Drone Strike Targets CIA Facility Within US Embassy in Saudi Arabia
Italy’s Meloni Prioritises Energy Security and Strait of Hormuz Stability During Gulf Tour
Uncertainty Emerges Over Timeline and Direction of Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Ski Resort Project
UAE and Saudi Arabia Escalate Strategy with Drone Operations Targeting Iran
Trump Delivers Characteristic Remarks on Saudi Crown Prince Amid Intensifying Iran Conflict
×