Explore 13.8 billion years of life at Abu Dhabi’s Natural History Museum, opening this November

 

Abu Dhabi’s Natural History Museum will open to the public on November 22 2025 in the Saadiyat Cultural District. At 35,000 square metres, it is the largest museum of its kind in the region and aims to take visitors on a journey through 13.8 billion years of natural history.

The museum explores life on Earth from the Big Bang to the rise of humans, including the evolution of dinosaurs and the planet’s biodiversity. Key highlights include Stan, a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, a 25-metre female blue whale, and the Murchison Meteorite, which contains grains formed seven billion years ago.

The museum also focuses on the Arabian Peninsula, showcasing the region’s unique natural history. One example is Stegotetrabelodon emiratus, an extinct elephant with tusks in both upper and lower jaws, offering insight into the area’s evolutionary past.

Designed by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo, the building’s silhouette is inspired by natural rock formations. Inside, visitors can explore permanent galleries including The Story of Earth, The Evolving World, Our World, Resilient Planet, and Earth’s Future, as well as interactive labs and theatres.

For its opening, the museum will host two temporary international exhibitions: The March of the Triceratops, featuring the world’s only touring Triceratops herd, and the 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year, showcasing global nature photography.

The museum joins other cultural institutions on Saadiyat Island, including Louvre Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, cementing the district’s role as a hub for knowledge, science, and culture.