The story is told of Paul and Colleen Nance in their three decades in Arabia and assembling the art collection on continuous display in the United States located at Lone jack, Missouri. The Nance Museum's art and artifacts are from traditional Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. They brought together the largest and most diverse collection on continuous display in the United States, located at Lone Jack, Missouri. Included are a Bedouin tent completely outfitted, the towns Arab and focus on the coffee ceremony, costumes, jewelry, wood, basketry, metal straw, natural and early objects, original paintings and lithographs of ancient monuments of the Middle East. Special exhibits are developed each year to focus on themes such as Hofuf and the Ancient Caravan Routes of Central Arabia, The Orientalists, Jerusalem, Saudi Children's Artwork, The Silk Road and its Connection with the Middle East. Over a million and a half persons have seen a portion of the collection throughout the United States.
The book describes living and working in and the importance of Saudi Arabia, the development of ethnic gardens depicting early civilizations to give a world view to the setting of the museum, 230 illustrations, the museum as a resource center, reflections over the past fifteen years of the museum's operation as well as extensive Appendices of chronologies, donors, guests, publicity, outreach locations, a Glossary of Arab terms, bibliography and index.
