The restored Bin Matar House is a restoration project undertaken by the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research as part of its ongoing effort to protect Bahrain’s traditional architectural heritage.  The name of the building is Memory of the Place – Bin Matar House, and this name reflects the dual function of this traditional building in presenting the identity of a people.  Firstly, the building embodies a definite cultural identity through its specific architecture and design elements.  At the same time, it is also a repository of memories, through the individuals that lived in the building and the events that took place there.  The Bin Matar House is dedicated to conserving both traditional Bahraini architecture as well as the memory of the Bin Matar family.

On the 9th of February 2009, the newly restored Bin Matar House opened its doors to the public to display the wonderful traditional architecture of the building and pay homage to the memory of Salman Matar and his family.  In addition to a permanent exhibition on the history of pearling in Bahrain and the Bin Matar family, the Bin Matar House will house a small collection of contemporary Bahraini art and feature an ongoing program of temporary art exhibitions in its dedicated exhibition space.

The restoration of the Bin Matar house was sponsored by Arcapita.

THE BIN MATAR FAMILY

The founder of the Bin Matar family, Salman bin Matar, left his home in Najd, Arabia, in 1825 to settle in Bahrain.  He was accompanied by his eight-year old son, Hussain, and his relative Yehia (founder of the Yehia family in Bahrain), along with their wives, sisters Ruqia and Saleha.  They settled in Muharraq City, which was the capital of Bahrain at the time.  Salman worked in the timber trade and his son, Hussain, inherited his father’s business.  Hussain then made a successful shift to the pearl trade that enabled him to acquire large date palm orchards and other properties throughout the country in the late 1850s.  Hussain’s eldest son, Salman, was born in 1848, the child of his first wife, Mariam.  Subsequent wives bore him Mohammed, Ali Abdullah, Khalifa, Amnah, Mariam and Tayebah. 

Salman bin Hussain bin Salman bin Matar proved to be a man of remarkable abilities and broad interests.  He joined his father’s pearl business and during ht elate 19th and early 20th centuries became one to f the major pearl merchants in the entire Gulf region.  Virtually all foreigners, especially French and Indian, relied on his expert advice in matters relating to the purchase of pearls.  With the advent of the wide-spread cultured-pearl market that resulted in the dwindling natural-pearl trade, he was part of the group that formed the Natural Pearl Protection Society in 1936.  In addition to his renown as a pearl tycoon, he expanded his business interests to include the trade of woods and dates, and ownership of many diving vessels, as well as houses, buildings, shops, rooms, coffee houses and springs.  One of his assets were his palm groves.

In addition to his business acumen, Salman bin Matar was also a man of great generosity and character.  His wisdom and knowledge gained him the respect of many who sought his advice in solving a number of issues related to inheritance, valuation of lands and properties, and in the resolution of disputes between individuals.  He willingly offered his support, financially or in kind, to the needy, regardless of class, race or religion, and the doors of his home and majlis were always open.  Like his father, he built mosques at home in Bahrain, and abroad, granting many properties for their support.

HISTORY OF THE HOUSE

The Bin Matar House was built on reclaimed land in 1905 and at the time was surrounded by the sea on three sides. Supervised by the Bahraini master builder Mussa bin Hamad, the building was constructed in a traditionally Bahraini manner, using palm tree trunks, sea-stone  and gypsum.  The building was initially used as the permanent majlis of Salman Hussein  Bin Matar, one of Bahrain’s the most prominent pearling merchants.  Even as the building was eventually used as a clinic for the famous Dr. Banderkar and home of the Al Eslah Club, the top floor was retained as a residence by the Bin Matar family until 2002. Prior to its present-day restoration, the building lay empty and in disuse, ready to be demolished to make way for new construction.

Through a painstaking process and the use of traditional materials, the restoration of the Bin Matar House has ensured the preservation of its architecture and its unique features – traditional ceilings made of a palm leaf and wood beam combination in red and black, as well as the authentic building and finishing of walls and floors.