OUR STORY
LumaTerra was established to strengthen the institutions that create, preserve, interpret and share knowledge.
We work across museums, science and discovery centers, children’s learning spaces, heritage sites, art galleries, libraries, performing arts centers and other cultural institutions. While these organizations differ in purpose and form, they share a responsibility to serve their communities, create opportunities for learning and participation, and ensure that knowledge remains relevant and accessible.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that meaningful public experiences depend on the institution behind them. Exhibitions, programs and visitor experiences cannot be separated from the people, structures, systems and professional capabilities that sustain their quality. For this reason, LumaTerra works across the institution, connecting place, people and institutional capability.
Based in Kuwait and working across the Middle East, Asia and international markets, we combine sector-specific knowledge with insight drawn from different cultural and institutional contexts. We work with owners, operators, authorities, foundations, developers and project teams from early concept and development through opening, operation and continued improvement.
Our purpose is to help knowledge and cultural institutions create meaningful experiences, strengthen their internal capability and build lasting value for the communities they serve.
OUR PURPOSE
Knowledge centers have a responsibility to preserve and develop knowledge, serve their communities and create opportunities for learning, discovery and participation. They transform information into understanding, safeguard collective memory and create spaces where people can encounter new ideas and perspectives. Their value lies not only in what they present, but also in their ability to remain relevant, accessible and responsive to the societies they serve.
LumaTerra helps knowledge institutions develop engaging public offerings and build the internal capability required to fulfil that role. We connect institutional purpose with public experience, ensuring that exhibitions, programs and learning environments are supported by effective strategies, skilled people and strong systems. Our purpose is to help institutions create meaningful impact today while building the resilience and capability needed to sustain it for future generations.
OUR PEOPLE
Mijbel Saad Al-Faraj
GENERAL MANAGER
Mijbel Al-Faraj is a Kuwaiti filmmaker, arts executive, and cultural strategist, with more than two decades of experience in media, corporate strategy and the performing arts. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwait National Theatre Company, where he has expanded the company’s portfolio of production services and directed a range of creative projects.
He is particularly recognized for his work as a documentary filmmaker, producing films that preserve Kuwait’s fading oral histories. His projects capture the voices, traditions, and cultural memory of communities and socio-political events at risk of being forgotten, safeguarding intangible heritage through cinema and making it accessible to future generations.
Alongside his film work, Mijbel has built extensive expertise in developing operations and programming for performing arts centers, with a special focus on community and national theaters. His leadership has guided program design, public engagement and marketing to ensure theaters remain inclusive spaces for cultural dialogue. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in marketing and communications across the financial and corporate sectors, developing strategies and branding initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising, with a minor in Business Administration, from California State University, Fresno.
Sarah Al-Karmi
PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
Sarah Al-Karmi is a cultural and knowledge-sector leader with more than 24 years of experience across museums, science centers, heritage institutions and cultural development. As Co-Founder and Principal Consultant of LumaTerra, she advises institutions on strategy, governance, interpretation, public engagement, organizational development and professional capability.
Her career spans science and cultural institutions. At The Scientific Center of Kuwait, she led strategy, education, exhibition development, visitor engagement and planning for Kuwait’s first children’s museum. Within the Kuwait National Cultural District, she supported the planning, opening and operation of Al Shaheed Park Museums, Al Salam Palace, Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre and Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre.
An anthropologist by training, Sarah has archaeological and museum experience in Canada, Jordan and Yemen, including work with the Royal Ontario Museum. Her practice connects scientific knowledge, cultural heritage and institutional systems, with a focus on locally grounded interpretation, community participation and sustainable capability.
Sarah holds Anthropology degrees from the University of Toronto and Bournemouth University and is a Certified Human Resources Manager. Fluent in English and Arabic, she brings perspective shaped by Arab heritage, international experience and engagement with Kuwait’s cultural landscape.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS
LumaTerra works with specialist partners whose expertise complements and extends our own. These collaborations bring together knowledge in exhibition design and fabrication, organizational development, capability technology, professional learning and regional delivery. By combining international expertise with sector knowledge and local understanding, we assemble multidisciplinary teams around the needs of each institution and deliver integrated solutions across different markets, project stages and areas of practice.
Hüttinger Interactive Exhibitions | Germany
Exhibition Design, Fabrication & Professional Training
Hüttinger Interactive Exhibitions is a global leader in the design and fabrication of interactive exhibitions for science centers, children’s museums and public learning environments. Our partnership combines Hüttinger’s technical expertise, creative engineering and international project experience with LumaTerra’s institutional insight and understanding of audience needs. Together, we support institutions in developing innovative, engaging and operationally sustainable exhibitions. The partnership also strengthens LumaTerra’s professional programs by integrating specialist training, applied methodologies and practical knowledge drawn from the design, fabrication and delivery of real-world exhibition projects.
58th People & Projects | Italy
People, Organization & Capability Technology
58th People & Projects brings expertise in people, organizational development and capability systems. Our partnership supports the development of the LumaTerra Knowledge Center Capability Platform, combining 58th’s expertise in organizational technology with our sector knowledge. Together, we are creating an integrated solution for organizational mapping, capability assessment, professional development, career pathways and institutional analytics. The platform will help knowledge and cultural institutions understand their workforce, identify capability priorities and make evidence-informed decisions that connect individual development with institutional strategy, performance and long-term sustainability.
Kiranamaya Sdn Bhd | Malaysia
Asian Markets & Regional Delivery
Kiranamaya is a Malaysian experiential attractions company specializing in immersive storytelling and technology across culture, heritage, science and future knowledge spaces. Our partnership combines Kiranamaya’s regional expertise, experiential capabilities and understanding of Asian markets with LumaTerra’s knowledge center frameworks and institutional development practice. Together, we support the delivery of projects, professional training and capability-building initiatives that respond to local contexts and institutional priorities. The collaboration expands our capacity for on-the-ground delivery across Asia while connecting experience development with the people, systems and capabilities required to sustain it.
OUR APPROACH
LumaTerra views knowledge and cultural centers as complete institutions. Meaningful public experiences depend not only on what audiences encounter, but also on the people, structures and systems that make those experiences possible. Our approach connects three essential dimensions: place, people and institutional capability.
Place.
Creating meaningful experiences
We shape institutional concepts, exhibitions, interpretation, learning environments, programs and visitor journeys that connect audiences with knowledge. Every experience is grounded in purpose, informed by its cultural and social context, and designed to create lasting public value.
People.
Building the capability to deliver
We develop the knowledge, skills and professional practices people need to perform effectively, grow in their roles and respond to changing institutional needs. Through training, competency frameworks and applied development, we help teams build confidence, strengthen practice and sustain quality.
Institutional Capability.
Strengthening the institution behind the experience
We develop the strategies, governance structures, operating models and systems that support effective delivery and continuous improvement. By aligning institutional purpose with people, processes and performance, we help organizations strengthen their resilience, consistency and long-term impact.