The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has unveiled plans for a new museum in the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island.
Named the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the project is currently under construction and is due to be completed at the end of 2025.
It will be home to some of the rarest specimens on the planet. Its galleries will span a 13.8 billion-year journey through time and space, from the the beginnings of the universe to a glimpse at its possible future.
Highlights of the museum will include “Stan”, the world-famous 11.7 metre-tall Tyrannosaurus rex that is one of the best-preserved and most-studied fossils of the late Cretaceous period predator.
Stan will be joined by a specimen of the Murchison meteorite, which crash-landed as a shower of stones in Australia in 1969 and has since revealed new information about the early solar system.
The meteorite bears a variety of organic "stardust" compounds as well as pre-solar grains that formed more than seven billion years ago, long before our solar system existed.
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, conceived in partnership with Miral, will also be a scientific research and teaching institution, featuring immersive displays beside curated collections of artefacts and specimens.
The museum’s galleries will take visitors on a journey back to the beginning of time, narrating the evolution of our universe, the Earth’s formation and the history of life on our planet.
“Natural history has a new home here in Abu Dhabi and we will tell the story of our universe through some of the most incredible specimens known to mankind,” Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT – Abu Dhabi, said.
“These are rare gifts from nature that we are proud to protect and share with the world, to unlock knowledge and discovery and to inspire the next generation of global advocates responsible for our precious planet. Natural history has the power to unite us, and we are fulfilling our vision to not only share our experiences and knowledge with the world, but to continue Abu Dhabi’s mission as a place for research, collaboration and rapidly growing creative industries.”
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will also, for the first time in the Middle East, present the history of life on Earth through an Arabian lens, where local fauna, flora and the geological history of the region will be part of the visitor journey.
According to DCT – Abu Dhabi, the museum will join a global community of natural history institutions committed to public education. The museum’s scientific research facility will undertake studies in areas including zoology, palaeontology, marine biology, molecular research (DNA and proteomics) and earth sciences. The primary aim will be to advance knowledge and increase understanding of our past, but also to create a think tank for future innovation and emerging technologies.
The museum was designed by architecture firm Mecanoo and it will cover an area of more than 35,000 square metres. The design alludes to natural rock formations, reflecting on the museum’s mission of engaging the public with the natural world.
“Every element of the design uses geometry as an overriding theme, with pentagonal shapes resembling cellular structures,” DCT – Abu Dhabi said. “Also playing an important role in the design are water and vegetation, potent symbols of life in the desert. In addition to the gallery display areas, the museum will include temporary exhibition spaces for special events and theatre facilities. Furthermore, enabling and marine works have commenced on the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi construction site.”
The museum will also offer employment opportunities in Abu Dhabi as well as on a wider national and regional level. Curators will be appointed to cover the full gamut of natural sciences. It will also aim to attract and educate young talent, as part of the governmental drive to advance the cultural and creative industries.
The museum will join the diverse cultural institutions and museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District, which include Louvre Abu Dhabi and the coming Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The area will soon also include the Abrahamic Family House, which will comprise three religious spaces in one place – a mosque, a synagogue and a church.
According to DCT – Abu Dhabi, the landmark institutions are part of the government’s commitment to the culture and creative sector, with Dh8.5 billion already invested over the past five years and a further Dh22 billion earmarked over the next five years.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
How to donate
Text the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
6025 - Dh 20
2252 - Dh 50
2208 - Dh 100
6020 - Dh 200
*numbers work for both Etisalat and du
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
What%20is%20Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3F%20
%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kasabian%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EColumbia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
