Zayed National Museum is marking World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, with a programme that takes in weaving, weapons and wits.
Running until Sunday, the Weekends at Zayed National Museum: World Environment Day programme explores how generations of Emiratis lived sustainably long before environmentalism became a global movement.
Through discussions, craft demonstrations and family workshops, visitors are invited to reflect on practices that helped communities thrive while making careful use of the natural resources around them.
“It is a programme with immersive experiences and hands-on workshops inspired by the resilience, knowledge and sustainable practices of our ancestors,” says Leqa Al Zaabi, interpretation (experience) unit head at the museum.
That connection between heritage and sustainability is already woven throughout the museum's galleries. Artefacts and displays show how communities across the UAE repurposed local resources and adapted to their environment, whether through building boats, creating household items or developing weapons and other tools suited to life in the desert and along the coast.
“We have different artefacts, collections and stories that reflect sustainability across generations in the UAE,” Al Zaabi says. “We show many of these artefacts through our displays, highlighting how people used to repurpose natural resources from the landscapes of the UAE and how these were integrated into daily life.”
Several of the weekend's activities bring those lessons into the present. Among them is Multaqa Zayed National Museum: Living with the Land, a discussion led by heritage and environmental experts exploring how traditional practices and the use of resources were guided by respect for nature. The session also examines ancestral maritime traditions, resource use and contemporary efforts to preserve this knowledge for future generations.
Visitors can watch artisans create baskets, mats and ropes from palm fronds and other local materials as part of Sustainable Traditions, a demonstration of the craftsmanship and resourcefulness behind everyday objects that were designed to last.
Elsewhere, the Soundwaves experience transforms the museum's Through Our Nature gallery into a sensory journey inspired by the UAE's deserts, seas, mountains and oases, encouraging visitors to reconnect with the landscapes that have shaped life in the Emirates for generations.
Hands-on workshops encourage participants to put sustainability into practice. Families can transform old clothes and recycled fabric into stuffed toys inspired by UAE wildlife, while other sessions focus on repairing and reimagining worn textiles through embroidery, sewing and botanical printing techniques.
The emphasis on passing knowledge between generations was evident among some of the programme's youngest participants.
Aseel Mohammed Al Aydaroos, 11, spent the day demonstrating Sadu, the Emirati weaving technique. As she worked on designs used in clothing production, she reflected on the importance of introducing younger generations to traditional skills.
“It makes me feel good, and I hope young children can learn it too so they can keep the tradition going for future generations,” she says.
Ahmed Mohammed Al Aydaroos, 12, explained the uses of the palm tree, one of the UAE's most important natural resources. Having learnt about traditional coastal heritage through a training programme, he sees cultural knowledge and environmental understanding as closely linked.
“If people do not learn these things, they may not know their traditions,” he says. “That's why it is important that we learn about our culture and preserve it for future generations.”
Al Zaabi says that message sits at the heart of the museum's World Environment Day programme. Sustainability, she says, is one of the values reflected throughout the museum and inspired by the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
“We hope visitors leave with sustainability as something embedded in their experience at Zayed National Museum and continue to live by it,” she says.
As visitors move between craft demonstrations, workshops and gallery displays, the message remains consistent: many of the principles now associated with environmentalism were already part of everyday life in the UAE. The World Environment Day programme at Zayed National Museum offers a reminder that some of the answers to contemporary challenges can be found in knowledge that has been passed down for generations.
