Zayed National Museum is marking World Autism Awareness Day with a weekend programme that brings together performances, workshops and discussions, placing inclusion and lived experience at the centre of its public offering.
Running until Sunday, the event invites visitors to engage with artists, musicians and community members through events designed to spotlight creativity on the autism spectrum. The programme reflects a wider shift in how the museum approaches public engagement, with a focus on accessibility that extends beyond a single occasion.
“We aim to be an inclusive museum,” Nassra Al Buainain, director of the Learning & Public Engagement department, tells The National. “When we plan our programmes, we look at the community at large and how we want to segment and target them at different times of the year.”
That planning is evident in how the weekend has been structured. On World Autism Awareness Day yesterday, for example, activities were intentionally moderated to better accommodate visitors with sensory sensitivities.
“We needed to ensure that what we offer is not too stimulative and respects the quiet surroundings they need,” Al Buainain says. “We thought carefully about what is happening each hour and in each space.”
Observed annually on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day was established by the United Nations in 2007 to promote awareness, acceptance and inclusion of people on the autism spectrum worldwide. The day has since evolved from a focus on awareness to a broader conversation around rights, representation, and the importance of creating supportive environments across education, employment and public life.
Programming broadens in the days that follow, welcoming a wider audience while maintaining a focus on thoughtful engagement. The result is a schedule that moves between quieter, more controlled experiences and larger public moments that encourage understanding through participation.
Live music performances form a central part of the programme. Emirati pianist Ahmed Al Hashemi, known for his ability to identify musical notes by ear, will perform twice daily, while musician Mahmoud Hejazi presents a repertoire that blends classical and contemporary styles.
For Al Buainain, these performances play an important role in shaping how audiences connect with the subject. “It is important to create these moments of empathy,” she says. “To understand and appreciate the talents that come from this community.”
She points to the response from previous events as an indication of their impact. “It was an emotional experience for me and for people attending. Many people came and spoke about how it made them feel.”
Elsewhere, a series of workshops led by Emirati artists including Abdulla Lutfi, Noura Alserkal and Najat Makki invites visitors to take part in creative processes, from collaborative drawing to explorations of colour and observation. These sessions place emphasis on shared participation rather than passive viewing.
The programme also includes a screening of Mountain Boy, a feature-length film about a young Emirati boy with autism. It is accompanied by a Multaqa discussion with the film’s creators, participants and families, offering a platform for conversation around lived experience and representation.
A wider film selection will also run across the weekend, presenting documentary and narrative works that explore autism through personal and community perspectives.
Behind the programme is an approach shaped by sustained engagement with the communities it serves. Al Buainain says feedback is gathered directly from participants and remains central to how initiatives are developed and refined.
“Our consultants are the community themselves,” she says. “We continuously go back to them for feedback and to test ideas. We also engage with stakeholders and trusted advisers in the field.”
That process has informed practical changes to how the museum operates. Quiet Morning sessions, held on the first Sunday of each month, were initially introduced as an hour-long experience, but were extended following visitor feedback.
“The museum is rich and people want to take their time. We implemented that immediately,” Al Buainain says. The next Quiet Morning will take place on April 5, offering reduced lighting and sound in a calmer environment for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
The museum has also joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme, becoming the first cultural institution in the Middle East to do so. Staff are trained to recognise and support visitors who may require additional assistance, reinforcing a commitment to accessibility.
For Al Buainain, the aim is to ensure that visitors feel a sense of belonging from the moment they enter. “We want everyone coming here to feel that this is an authentic experience,” she says. “We want them to feel welcomed and to see themselves represented.”
That principle is tied to the museum’s broader narrative, which looks to connect contemporary audiences with the history and identity of the UAE.
“When we think about Emirati culture, we think about the long history of this land and the people who lived here,” she says. “Everything we do connects to these values.”
As Autism Awareness Weekend unfolds, the focus remains on creating meaningful encounters through culture. Whether through music, film or hands-on workshops, the programme offers multiple points of entry for visitors, encouraging a deeper understanding of the autism spectrum while foregrounding individual expression.
