Cultural institutions across Abu Dhabi will mark International Museum Day on May 18 with a weekend of live performances, workshops and family activities. Offering free entry, the museums seek to bring visitors closer to the emirate’s heritage, art and artefacts.
Programmes taking place from May 16 to 18, at Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Museum and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, are aligned with this year’s theme: Museums Uniting a Divided World, which focuses on the role cultural institutions play in encouraging dialogue and shared understanding.
Free admission across the three-day celebration will also be offered at Qasr Al Hosn, Al Maqta’a Museum and Delma Museum.
At Zayed National Museum, visitors can partake in Emirati traditions, music and interactive storytelling. Activities include Majlis of Stories, where gahwa experts will discuss the rituals of Emirati hospitality, as well as live Sadu bracelet-making workshops, and traditional Al Nahma and Al Ahalla performances.
The museum will also host Living Objects, a guided experience led by its curatorial and collections team, which explores artefacts connected to the UAE’s heritage, environment and daily life. Families can also take part in scavenger hunts and memory-making workshops developed in collaboration with Lest We Forget, an archival and research initiative.
Meanwhile, Louvre Abu Dhabi invites visitors to explore its galleries through guided tours, workshops, film screenings and scientific demonstrations.
The museum’s programme includes thematic guided tours of its permanent galleries and temporary Picasso exhibition, alongside family workshops and screenings as part of Cannes Film Nights.
A new film, The Pulse of Time, will screen hourly on May 18, tracing humanity’s shared history through works from the museum’s collection. Visitors will also be able to observe conservation and research techniques during live scientific demonstrations led by the museum’s lab team.
Al Ain Museum will present a three-day programme of educational workshops, storytelling sessions and gallery experiences. Visitors can join sketch walks and photo walks through the museum, while children can participate in activities such as the Illustrated Museum and designing Sultan Fort-themed tote bags.
The museum will also host a public talk titled Living Heritage in collaboration with Zayed National Museum, exploring the role museums play in preserving and sharing cultural memory.
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has announced seven interactive activities designed to “spark curiosity and enrich” visitor experience. The programme encourages audiences to explore natural history through hands-on and family-friendly activities.
Visitors can also check out two major temporary exhibitions: The March of Triceratops, created in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, traces the lives and movement of the prehistoric species through immersive displays; while Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcases 100 photographs from around the world.
International Museum Day is organised annually by the International Council of Museums, and is celebrated by museums around the world through public programming and community initiatives.
