- What it measures
- Design capacity of the multi-performance space, Foundation release 25 May 2022
- Date
- May 2022
Why figures differ
How many seats does the National Theatre have?
Is it 2,300 or 2,500?
Resolved
Updated 12 Nov 2026
The figures, side by side
What each source says
- What it measures
- Earlier plan in the 2019 Arabic launch release; repeated in some later secondary articles
- Date
- Mar 2019
Why the figures differ
The Foundation's Royal Arts Complex page, the 2022 launch announcement carried by SPA, and Saudipedia all give 2,300 seats. The 2,500 figure appears in a January 2024 Arabic article that repeats older text, and in a February 2026 secondary article. Separate venues sometimes get mixed in: a 650-seat theatre inside the complex, and an open-air theatre that older sources put at 8,000 and Saudipedia at 650 or more.
What we show
We show 2,300 seats for the National Theatre, from the Foundation. The 2,500 figure is listed as an older or secondary figure, and the other theatres are kept as separate venues.
What would resolve it
Resolved in favour of 2,300 on Foundation sources; we will revisit if the final auditorium plan changes.
Sources
King Salman Park Founda…May 2022Al MadinaJan 2024Umm Al-Qura Gazette (SP…May 2022UIS JournalFeb 2026SaudipediaJan 2023More figures explained
How big is King Salman Park?
Why do sources give the park's area as anything from 16.6 to 17.2 km²?
What does King Salman Park cost?
Is it $23bn, SAR72bn, $10bn, $25bn or $9bn?
How much private money is involved?
Is private investment SAR50bn, SAR150bn or $13bn, and how much is awarded?
How many investment packages are there?
Five committed, or one awarded?
How tall is the Museum of World Cultures?
Is the museum building 106 m or 110 m?
How much water does the park treat?
Is it 192,000, 150,000 or 50,000 m³ a day?