This month, one of the UAE’s best-known malls marks a milestone. Mall of the Emirates, which opened in September 2005, quickly became a destination in its own right, mixing retail, entertainment and leisure while reinforcing Dubai’s status as a global hub.
Within two months of opening, it unveiled Ski Dubai, the Middle East’s first indoor ski slope and still among the region’s most popular attractions. Built at a cost of Dh3 billion by Majid Al Futtaim, the developer behind 29 shopping centres across the region, the 255,000-square-metre mall has expanded several times. This month, the team announced a Dh5 billion project that, over the next two years, will add retail, dining and wellness facilities, as well as New Covent Garden, a cultural centre with a 600-seat theatre.
To mark its 20th anniversary, here are 20 facts about one of Dubai’s most recognisable shopping destinations.
1. Mall of the Emirates first opened to guests 20 years ago, on September 28, 2005, with shops gradually opening over the next several months.
2. The mall's official opening, however, took place two months later, on November 30, 2005, along with the inauguration of Ski Dubai. The late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, who was then the Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, inaugurated the mall at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. He was accompanied by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who was then the Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister
3. Upon its inauguration, Ski Dubai became the Middle East’s first indoor ski resort and one of the largest of its kind in the world. It has been named the World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort at the World Ski Awards for a record nine years in a row since 2016.
4. Along with its opening in 2005, Mall of the Emirates unveiled the region's largest hypermarket with a 13,400-square-metre Carrefour. It remains, until today, one of the largest of its kind.
5. Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates opened on April 6, 2006, offering five-star luxury directly connected to the mall. Besides rooms and suites, the hotel also offers chalets designed to resemble a cosy, alpine lodge with views of the Ski Dubai slopes.
6. On September 1, 2010, following an expansion, the mall's Fashion Dome was unveiled with more than 30 luxury fashion outlets, 20 of which were new to the mall, from Versace to Dior. Seven restaurants were also part of the extension.
7. A penguin colony marched into Ski Dubai in 2012, arriving from SeaWorld in Texas. Ski Dubai specifically built a housing area and pool at the resort to mimic an Antarctic environment for the new residents. A staff of 13, including a penguin curator in charge of the well-being of the birds, was brought in from different parts of the world.
8. On March 14, 2013, Mall of the Emirates added another hotel to its offering, Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel. The five-star business hotel features 481 rooms as well as several restaurants and bars.
9. A second Dh1 million expansion plan was also announced in 2013 that would add 25,000 square metres of gross leasable area, a new Vox Cinema as well as parking space for an extra 1,300 vehicles.
10. A refurbished Vox Cinema opened in October 2015, featuring Imax Laser and 4DX theatres as well as Vox Theatre by Rhodes, a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the late celebrity chef Gary Rhodes. The luxury cinema experience combined cinema entertainment with a menu created by the Michelin-lauded chef.
11. The first Apple store in the Middle East opened at Mall of the Emirates on October 29, 2015, with a simultaneous opening in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall. The National attended the event in Dubai and reported that hundreds, if not thousands, turned out to witness the anticipated launch.
12. In the middle of the blistering summer of July 2016, Ski Dubai launched Camp-outs, where visitors could spend the night in its -4°C climes. Campers received after-hours access to the ski resort and all of the snow park's facilities, and were treated to breakfast in the on-site St Moritz Cafe. The experience cost Dh750 per person with up to 30 people accommodated each Friday night.
13. In 2017, the mall introduced hands-free shopping, where customers could drop off their bags at designated points around the mall and collect them later or have them delivered to their home. The service remains free of charge for deliveries inside the malls, as well as to cars and to hotels connected to the mall, while a fee is charged for home deliveries.
14. Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, which had called Mall of the Emirates home since 2006, announced it was closing down in July, 2018. The space reopened in 2020 as The Theatre, but is now occupied by New Covent Garden and Pineapple Dance Studios.
15. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when theatres remained closed, Mall of the Emirates and Vox Cinemas launched a drive-in cinema so residents could still enjoy movies on the big screen. The outdoor experience, on the roof of the car park, was limited to 75 cars per show, with a maximum of two people allowed in each vehicle. With the big screen nestled right underneath the Ski Dubai slope, staff were on hand to ensure customers maintained social-distancing guidelines.
16. Mall of the Emirates launched The 9 in 2021. The luxury private members' club offers fine-dining, a made-to-measure tailoring service, a barber, cigar lounge, meeting room, gaming space and even a sleeping suite, alongside concierge shopping services. Members get premium repair and gift wrapping services, complimentary valet parking, airport check-in and private experiences across all of Mall of the Emirates's attractions.
17. On January 18, 2021, Mall of the Emirates unveiled That, a 4,500-square-metre concept store spread over three floors with more than 150 regional and international brands across beauty, fitness, fashion, home accessories and art.
18. The same year also marked the opening of Cle D'Or, a luxury lounge located in the Fashion Dome. Translating to “golden key”, the 562-square-metre lounge offers a beauty suite, a personal shopping service and private dining facilities for members.
19. In April 2024, when record-breaking storms lashed the UAE and caused power cuts in residential buildings, dozens of people sheltered in Mall of the Emirates. While some gathered in to cool down, others used power sockets to charge their phones and stay connected with friends and colleagues as waterlogged roads brought many parts of Dubai to a standstill.
20. In August 2025, Mall of the Emirates became one of seven malls to be part of the first Dubai Mallathon, a month-long initiative that allowed people to walk or run indoors during the summer heat and before shops open. Launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the run offered participants the option to pick from four categories: 2.5km, 5km and 10km runs or any-pace walks, with free hydration stations provided at each of the start and finish points.
