Abu Dhabi's Zayed National Museum announces December opening date

Institute tells story of the UAE over 300,000 years, with 1,500 pieces from its collection set for display

Zayed National Museum will open to the public on December 3, the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi has announced.

Named after the country’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum was established to preserve local culture and heritage. It will tell the story of the UAE over a timeline spanning 300,000 years.

The museum's collection will include more than 3,000 pieces, with 1,500 set to go on display upon opening.

Inside Zayed National Museum and its gallery of the region's origins

Read More

The Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District. Photo: ADMO

“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,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT – Abu Dhabi.

“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,” he said.

Our Beginning, a gallery space within the museum, is dedicated to the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Photo: Zayed National Museum

The museum was designed by UK architecture firm Foster+Partners. Its five steel structures are already a towering sight in Saadiyat Cultural District, making the museum a landmark in Abu Dhabi well before its opening. The structures were inspired by the country’s tradition of falconry and each is shaped like a feather.

The museum will house artefacts including one of the world’s oldest natural pearls, called the Abu Dhabi Pearl, five folios from the Blue Quran, as well as a Magan boat, an 18-metre reproduction of the ancient vessel, which will be displayed in the building's atrium.

The museum's Magan boat replica during sea trials off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Photo: Emily Harris / Zayed National Museum

The boat was created in a collaboration between Zayed National Museum, Zayed University and New York University Abu Dhabi.

Last year, the boat sailed 50 nautical miles (92.6km) in the Arabian Gulf as part of sea trials that shed light on the UAE’s maritime heritage and Bronze Age trade.

“The Magan boat is an excellent example of Abu Dhabi’s educational institutions coming together to deepen our knowledge of the past and bring history to life for everyone to learn from and enjoy,” Moaza Matar, acting director of the museum's curatorial, collection management and design department, told The National last year.

“It will be a very exciting moment when visitors get to see the vessel in real life within the galleries of Zayed National Museum.”