Zayed National Museum opens today: here's what to expect
A look inside Zayed National Museum and the history that shapes the UAE
Zayed National Museum opens its doors the day after Eid Al Etihad, with the country still carrying that warm, steady feeling of national pride. Driving toward the Saadiyat Cultural District, the sand coloured wings come into view long before you get anywhere near the entrance.
At the museum the fountain outside moves in clean, dancing arcs and the UAE flag shifts above it, bright against the sky. Ahead, the five steel towers stretch upward like a falcon riding a soft breeze. They belong to Zayed National Museum, the country’s landmark tribute to its Founding Father. It’s the tallest and most striking structure in the Saadiyat Cultural District.
Inside the museum, the story of the UAE truly comes alive.
What to look out for
The museum holds more than 3,000 objects, with over 1,500 displayed across six permanent galleries. Together they trace 300,000 years of human history on this land. The oldest item is a fossilised clam that survives more than 70 million years. In the Our Beginning gallery, there’s a photograph of the late Sheikh Zayed. His asa rests beside it. A replica Quran sits nearby. There are also videos and photographs of the Al Nahyan family.
Image: Zayed National Museum
A display recreates the clothing of Sheikh Zayed the First based on a 1904 photograph taken at Qasr Al Hosn. Close by are the seals of the four Sheikhs who ruled Abu Dhabi after Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa. In another gallery, a replica of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s black Chrysler stands next to footage of him cruising through the desert with a cup of gahwa in hand.
Image: Zayed National Museum
The museum also features an 18 metre reconstruction of a Bronze Age Magan boat in the central atrium. Close by, the Abu Dhabi pearl rests under glass. It is one of the oldest natural pearls in the world.
A building with wings
Image: Zayed National Museum
Designed by Lord Norman Foster, the museum rises from a walkable mound shaped by the UAE’s natural topography. The falcon wing towers channel air through the building during cooler months, helping ventilate the space naturally.
Spanning more than 56,000 square metres of floor area, the structure stands 123 metres high. Outside, Al Masar Garden stretches for 600 metres through desert, oasis and urban landscapes. A 60 year old ghaf tree anchors the path beside a flowing falaj.
Sights, Sounds and Scents
The museum introduces one of the world’s first multi sensory national museum experiences. Emirati composer Hamad Al Taee creates a special arrangement of the national anthem, blending traditional instruments with orchestral sounds. Studio Al Watan adds instrumental pieces shaped by Sheikh Zayed’s poetry. Berklee Abu Dhabi weaves in soundscapes inspired by desert, sea, mountain and oasis.
Casa de Oud completes the experience with a signature scent built from oud, jasmine and native flora. It lingers lightly, guiding visitors from one story to the next.
The Details:
Location: Saadiyat Island, Cultural District
Time: 10am to 6pm
Cost: Adults: Dh70; UAE university students (with valid ID): Dh35; UAE-employed teachers (with valid ID): Dh35
Free: Children under 18; People of determination and their companions; UAE-based seniors aged 60 and above; Journalists on assignment, ICOM and ICOMOS members.
Contact : 600 565566
