Five stunning displays inside Dubai's Museum of the Future


Sarwat Nasir
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The Museum of the Future in Dubai is a “time machine” that shows visitors what life could be like in the year 2071.

From futuristic jobs faraway on a space station to how ecosystems can be saved 49 years from now — the experience is entertaining as well as educational.

The two-hour experience is meant to be thought-provoking and leaves visitors wondering steps that can be taken now to create a better future.

The museum uses technology to represent art in the most remarkable ways, including screens with impressive graphics of a rocket launch and a DNA library that features more than 4,500 species.

An avatar called Aya guides visitors throughout their journey.

On Wednesday, a day after its official opening, The National went on a media tour of the museum. Here are five of the most interesting displays:

An avatar known as 'Aya' speaks to visitors at the Museum of the Future. Chris Whiteoak / The National
An avatar known as 'Aya' speaks to visitors at the Museum of the Future. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Launching to a space station

If you want to be an astronaut for a day, this is the experience for you.

It involves boarding a spacecraft called Hope, named after the UAE’s Mars orbiter, and launching to the OSS Hope space station 600 kilometres above Earth.

Visitors are taken inside a room with metal walls, designed to look like a spacecraft, with screens all around that act as windows to show the stunning views during lift-off.

Aerial views of Dubai’s coastline, including The Palm Jumeirah, are visible, and then the delicate atmosphere of the planet, as the spacecraft enters space.

It is a four-minute experience that also shows the spacecraft docking with the OSS Hope space station.

Then, you enter the space station, where you learn about futuristic jobs astronauts can have in future, such as Mars colony ambassador to Earth.

The Heal Institute at the Museum of the Future. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Heal Institute at the Museum of the Future. Chris Whiteoak / The National

See the Amazon

The next part of the experience is the "heal institute", where you learn about nature.

A large screen shows the DNA of the Amazon, with footage actually filmed in the rainforest.

“At Heal, we are working to repair the Earth’s natural ecosystems, with the help of artificial intelligence and biodesign,” Aya says, as visitors enter the exhibition.

“The Amazon is amazing. The forest generates half of its own rainfall by recycling water through trees.

“Sadly, in some parts of the Amazon, years of deforestation have broken this cycle, changing huge parts of this ancient forest to dry savannah.”

DNA library

Another part of the Heal Institute is the DNA library, which has more than 2,400 models of species on display inside glass cases.

The colourful exhibition is meant to help visitors learn about different kinds of mammals, angiosperms, annelids and molluscs.

It is partially immersive, as visitors can “collect” a few species in a device given to them at the start and use it in the next exhibition to see how it could heal the ecosystem.

Heal the ecosystem

This is the Heal Observatory, where some species are grown in a nursery.

Visitors can release these species into the outdoors, including the ones collected in their device from the DNA library, to see how they behave and if the ecosystem heals.

It is an educational exhibition that would benefit researchers, as well as students and teachers.

Once the species are released, a large screen shows the progress being made in that ecosystem.

Futuristic spa

Al Waha is a futuristic spa, where visitors experience restorative effects of movement and meditation.

Visitors are welcomed with a vapour hand sanitiser that is blowing out of a structure that looks like a futuristic water fountain.

There is also a digital floor with a special carpet that gives the illusion of walking on a beach.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid visits Museum of the Future - in pictures

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Director:Jason Orley

Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day

Rating:4/5

How to apply for a drone permit
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What are the regulations?
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Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

Scoreline:

Everton 4

Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', ​​​​​​​Digne 56', Walcott 64'

Manchester United 0

Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

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Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

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Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

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While you're here
Essentials

The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

NO OTHER LAND

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Switzerland 5

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

Essentials

The flights

Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes. 
 

The stay

A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.

Updated: February 23, 2022, 4:54 PM`