The opening of Museum of the Future was marked in passengers' passports today as they arrived in Dubai.
"What a memorable way to introduce the world to #MuseumOfTheFuture," shared the official social media accounts of the new landmark. "Visitors on arrival had their passports stamped with a unique #MOTF stamp to announce the date of the opening of the most beautiful building on Earth."
The stamp has today's date on it, with the phrase "the most beautiful building on earth" written underneath, alongside an illustration of the museum's unique shape.
Dubai's Museum of the Future officially opens today, Tuesday, February 22, with tickets now on sale and doors open to the public from tomorrow.
It promises visitors an immersive experience that uses technology to represent art, and encourages guests to imagine what the future could be like in spheres such as outer space, nature and wellness.
Spanning an area of 30,000 square metres, the seven-storey pillarless structure stands 77 metres tall. The stainless steel facade, which extends to more than 17,000 square metres, is illuminated by 14,000 metres of Arabic calligraphy designed by Mattar Bin Lahej, based on the poetry of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, about his vision for the city's future.
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Dubai's Museum of the Future will embody the forward-thinking spirit of the UAE's founding fathers, a senior Emirati minister said. Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
The museum opened its doors to the public on February 22. Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said that it would be much more than a museum, serving as a 'research lab' for the future. Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
The museum will feature a dedicated space for children, helping to harness their love of learning. Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, hailed it as the "most beautiful building on Earth". Photo: UAE Government Media Office -
Workers are dwarfed by the Museum of the Future in this November 2019 picture. The intricate design is inspired by Arabic script. Antonie Robertson / The National -
The striking structure was years in the making. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The opening date was pushed back several times and a 2020 opening date came and went as the pandemic hit. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
This 2018 image shows the unique design taking shape. Antonie Robertson / The National -
A cyclist poses for a photograph in front of the museum in November. AP Photo / Jon Gambrell -
The unique facade was voted among the most striking in the world in a recent poll. AP Photo -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visit the museum in September. Wam -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid tries out some of the museum's technological features. Wam
Translated into English, it says: “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it. It isn’t something you await, but rather create.”
On Wednesday, Burj Khalifa's facade lit up with Arabic calligraphy reflecting the Museum of the Future's exterior.
"Welcoming the most beautiful building on Earth," a message read in Arabic and English.
The new landmark was named as one of the 14 most beautiful museums on the planet in a list compiled by National Geographic magazine in July, while it also won the Tikla International Building Award last year as a unique architectural model.
Shaun Killa, partner at Killa Design and the architect who designed the museum, says its shape represents "Dubai's perpetual energy and a vision of the future".
This isn't the first time Dubai Airport has dished out special passport stamps.
In February 2021, airline passengers arriving in UAE received a stamp to mark the country's mission to Mars, with ink created from the same type of volcanic rock found on the Red Planet's barren surface.
In July 2020, Dubai marked the return of international tourists with a special sticker saying "a warm welcome to your second home", put on passports by immigration officials.
