A living museum. A living soundscape.

Madinah welcomes millions of pilgrims every year, but most pass through quickly, and 1,400 years of Islamic history goes largely unheard. The City Living Museum, led by the Al-Madinah Region Development Authority, is changing that: transforming the whole city into an experiential heritage destination, recognised with the Seoul Smart City Prize and projected to engage more than five million visitors a year. WithFeeling was brought in to give it a sound.

How do you score a city? Not one venue but dozens of sites, journeys and touchpoints designed to work as a single narrative, in a place of profound religious and cultural significance. The sound could not be imagined in a studio: it had to be true to Madinah itself, authentic enough to carry scholarly weight and gentle enough to honour the city’s spirit.

A 30-minute soundscape of Madinah, recorded in the city and created for the City Living Museum, part of an experience designed to extend visitor stays from four to seven nights and share the city’s significance with the world. The project has been recognised with the Seoul Smart City Prize.