“Would you give us an extra week off this spring break?” was the message written on a personal letter to King Khaled from his grandchildren. The letter is just one of the many items on show at the exhibition that is being held to highlight the late monarch’s seven-year reign.

The exhibition has seven halls, each with a separate theme. In the first, visitors can see King Khaled’s office stationery and the decisions he made as king. The second hall focuses on the king’s travels and foreign relations.

The third hall contains huge screens airing a documentary in which people who were close to the king speak about their memories of him. One of those speakers is the current Minister of Interior Prince Naif who said the king’s attitude did not change when he came to the throne and that he would be available to all at all times and without appointment. Prince Turki Al-Faisal described him as someone “easy to reach.”

The fourth hall showcases the king’s hobbies, which included horse riding and bird hunting. The fifth section is about his personal life and includes personal letters, family photos and the king’s personal library. Among books in his library were Women Emancipation in the Prophet’s Era, The Mission of Islam, Islam and Development, Emergence of Saudi Arabia, Arabic Telegraphy, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and A Girl from Hail. Belongings on display include a sofa, a mini table, a newspaper, eyeglasses, a telephone and a clock.

The sixth section sheds light on the religious life of the king with photos of him performing Haj and Umrah. It also has a number of his written prayers, his prayer carpet, prayer beads, copies of the Qur’an and recordings of the famous Egyptian Qur’an reciter Qari Abdul Basit Abdul Samad.

On display in the final hall are the achievements of the king who launched a number of educational, transportation and oil projects. This section also includes a copy of the door of the Kaaba, which the king gifted to the Grand Mosque in 1977. The door was made using 280 kilograms of gold costing SR13,420,000.

The exhibition was inaugurated in Jeddah on Monday by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. The exhibition will be open to members of the public for a month starting Thursday. It will then move to Janadriya, Alkhobar, Tabuk, Qassim and Najran. The exhibition has already visited Riyadh and Asir. For further details visit www.kke.com.sa.