Manama: The Bahrain National Museum has unveiled a dedicated pavilion for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as part of the events accompanying the forty-sixth GCC Summit, highlighting the progress of the GCC in advancing collective Gulf integration.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the pavilion is designed as an interactive and multimedia space, offering visitors an immersive experience that traces the history of the GCC and documents its achievements across political, economic, developmental, and cultural domains from its establishment to the present day.
Its content outlines the development of Gulf cooperation through visual and informational displays presenting projects, statistics, institutional progress, and joint initiatives. The exhibition combines official documentation with interactive screens, architectural models, and contemporary design elements that reflect the pride associated with the GCC’s long path of unity and integration.
Visitors begin their tour at an entrance decorated with the flags of GCC member states and statements by founding leaders, setting a scene that reflects the depth of Gulf unity. The exhibition progresses through displays highlighting the early developments preceding the formation of the GCC, including meetings among member states and the signing of the GCC Charter in Abu Dhabi on May 25, 1981. It also presents the Council’s objectives in consolidating cooperation and advancing scientific and technical progress.
A significant section highlights joint Gulf achievements, including the Customs Union launched in 2003. Infographics explain unified customs procedures, the single entry point, and the free movement of goods, alongside displays on economic integration, the GCC Common Market, and the railway project linking member states.
Other sections focus on the development of Gulf institutions since the 1970s in areas such as communications, education, intellectual property, standards and metrology, and higher education. Archival photographs and original artefacts illustrate how these institutions contributed to building a shared developmental and knowledge-based foundation. Additional displays cover youth, women, and sports, including an area dedicated to joint sports cooperation and another showcasing the achievements of Gulf women, from gaining the right to vote and stand for elections in Bahrain in 2002 to the appointment of the first Omani ambassador to Washington in 2019.
The pavilion also presents the GCC’s regional and international engagement. Panels highlight its strategic dialogue with the United Nations and the European Union, support for global peace efforts, humanitarian contributions, and cooperation with international organisations.
Economic initiatives are displayed through agreements that support the Gulf economy, including free trade agreements, investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, and GCC participation in international bodies such as the World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund. A section on national strategies linked to Vision 2030 presents efforts to strengthen national identity, advance economic development, and create employment opportunities across member states.
A central area is dedicated to military and defence cooperation, reflecting the role of collective security in Gulf integration. Exhibits on the Peninsula Shield Force outline its history since its establishment in 1982 and highlight its contributions to joint operations, collective deterrence, and operational readiness. The section also includes displays on the GCC communications network and other defence cooperation initiatives.
The pavilion further presents a range of joint Gulf initiatives that reflect the commitment of Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC states to meeting the aspirations of Gulf citizens. The GCC pavilion at the Bahrain National Museum serves as an interactive space for citizens and residents to explore as Bahrain hosts the forty-sixth GCC Summit, held in Manama amid broad expectations for deeper integration and continued prosperity.