Museums forced to reassess Saudi ties amid uproar over journalist's fate

The embrace has been mutual, as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Emirates have all used their wealth to strengthen friendships

On Saturday, the Brooklyn Museum is opening an exhibition of art and artifacts from Syria meant to recount the country’s refugee history. Days later, the Guggenheim will host a conversation with a Palestinian artist, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art will hold a seminar on how museums curate art from the Middle East.

These programs — along with similar ones at the Museum of Modern Art, Asia Society and other New York institutions — are part of a coordinated effort to display artwork from the Middle East and “build greater understanding between the United States and the Arab world.” They also