Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE located in the heart of Saadiyat Cultural District, will open to the public on 3rd December 2025.
Zayed National Museum
will present the history of the UAE through an immersive journey that spans
from ancient times to the present day. It will blend archaeological artefacts
and historic objects with audiovisual and sensory experiences, as well as contemporary
installations, reported WAM.
The landmark
institution honours the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan
Al Nahyan, and his commitment to cultural heritage, education, identity and
belonging.
Mohamed Khalifa Al
Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said,
“As the national museum of the UAE, sitting at the heart of Saadiyat Cultural
District, Zayed National Museum presents the story of our land, our people, and
our heritage in a way that is alive, evolving, and open to all. The museum
reflects the vision and values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,
whose belief in culture, education, and knowledge continues to guide us.
“History and
innovation come together within the museum, creating a space where dialogue,
learning, and exchange can flourish, and where visitors of all generations can
engage with our nation’s journey from its ancient roots to its aspirations for
the future. In opening these doors, we reaffirm our commitment to culture as a
source of knowledge, connection, and inspiration for generations to come. The
inauguration of Zayed National Museum is a defining milestone in the enduring
cultural journey of Abu Dhabi.”
Designed by Pritzker
Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, visitors will
follow a pathway that traces the earliest evidence of human inhabitation,
explores how civilisations lived and thrived over centuries, highlights
connections through trade routes and celebrates the distinctive elements of
Emirati culture and heritage. Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and values are embedded
within the narrative throughout.
The museum journey
begins at Al Masar Garden, an outdoor gallery that will welcome visitors into
the landscapes that formed life in the UAE. Stretching 600 metres from the
Saadiyat coast, between Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Natural History
Museum Abu Dhabi, to the museum entrance, Al Masar Garden features native
plants and trees representing desert, oasis and urban environments. It also
includes a working falaj irrigation system, artistic sculptures, multisensory
installations and a timeline charting the life of Sheikh Zayed and the history
of the UAE.
Zayed National
Museum’s collection includes more than 3,000 pieces, of which 1,500 will be on
display, each carefully chosen for the story it tells about the history of the
land.
The journey through
the permanent galleries starts in Our Beginning, which is dedicated to the life
and leadership of Sheikh Zayed. His story will be narrated through recordings
of his voice, archive photographs and film footage, personal belongings, letters,
donations and installations.
Visitors will be
introduced to the UAE’s foundational years, while tracing the historical and
cultural influences that shaped the UAE’s Founding Father. From his early life
in Al Ain Region to the role he played in unifying the Emirates, this gallery
will highlight the stories that defined Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and continue to
inspire the nation today.
Using artistic
dioramas, natural specimens and multimedia installations, the Through Our
Nature gallery immerses visitors to Zayed National Museum in the diverse
landscapes that exist within the UAE. The gallery also examines the geography’s
historical impact, over millennia, on the nature that sustains life in the
country's mountains, desert, oases and sea.
The museum narrative
then expands across time in the gallery “To Our Ancestors”. This gallery will
display the outcomes of archaeological excavations that revealed 300,000 years
of human presence on this land. From one of the world’s oldest pearls to a detailed
recreation of the Hili Grand Tomb, visitors will gain an insight into what
archaeologists have discovered about the people of this land up until the
Bronze Age.
Visitors will then
move to the “Through Our Connections” gallery, which spans from the Iron Age
3,000 years ago up until the 1100s CE. This gallery shows the broadening
horizons of the people of the ancient emirates and how the impact of new
technologies, materials, knowledge and faith led to an emerging shared
identity, including the development of the Arabic language and the dawn of
Islam.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s
rich maritime heritage and history over the last five centuries will unfold in
the “By Our Coasts” gallery, which will highlight the cultural identity shaped
from the time of the renowned navigator Ibn Majid, to the pearl divers of the
last century as well as the UAE’s role in commercial and cultural exchange.
The museum journey
concludes in the gallery “To Our Roots,” which continues the exploration of
Emirati identity by looking at the traditional lifestyle, customs and social
and economic practices that prevailed in the inland areas of the UAE.
To mark the museum’s
opening, a varied programme of performances, workshops, tours and activities
will provide visitors with opportunities to explore the museum and take part in
this milestone. Food and beverage options will also be available, including the
fine dining Emirati restaurant Erth, Al Ghaf Cafe and the Garden Cafes.
Zayed National Museum
will stand alongside several globally renowned cultural institutions, including
Louvre Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, as well as the upcoming
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
As part of the
Saadiyat Cultural District, it creates spaces for dialogue, cultural exchange
and discovery, shaping Abu Dhabi’s role as a global platform where ideas,
creativity, heritage and innovation converge.