The Museum of the Future opened in Dubai. The emirate is focusing on 'industries of the future' to boost its economy. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Avatar Aya speaks to guests as they go to the first chapter, OSS Hope space station.
The museum gives visitors a glimpse of Dubai in 2071.
Visitors travel to the first chapter, OSS Hope.
Visitors look at key elements of the solar system.
Visitors become Mars colony ambassadors to Earth.
Visitors look at a model of OSS Hope.
Vault of Life uses cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality technology to introduce visitors into an interactive experience where they collect samples from nature.
Their task is to contribute to efforts being made to restore the natural environment, rehabilitate the forest with its plants and animals, and help to repair the damage inflicted.
The nature simulator allows visitors to list the living organisms they contributed to saving virtually.
Visitors enjoy the second chapter, the Heal Institute.
The Heal Institute is a research centre focused on preserving the planet's ecosystem through the use of the latest AI and bio-technology.
The library, where arguably the museum’s most stunning feature lies.
Tomorrow Today exhibition includes advanced and pioneering technology that can help to shape the future of humanity.
Teslaglove that allows you to feel virtual reality objects.
A full metal jacket, made of 65% copper and resistant to viruses, is on display at the Tomorrow Today section.
MARS, Modular Artificial Reef Structure, at the Tomorrow Today section.
Visitors in the Tomorrow Today section.
The Future Heroes floor has been designed for children under the age of 10 to stimulate scientific curiosity.
It takes young people and younger generations on a future journey that expands their positive view of our world.
It also enhances their confidence in their abilities to make positive changes.
The children's floor aims to consolidate their belief in the potential of humanity to affect significant change and reinforce their conviction that nothing is impossible with science.
Al Waha focuses on health and wellness, offering visitors an opportunity to reconnect with themselves, away from the distraction of external influences and always-on technologies.
It takes them to a world that simulates the senses and heightens their response mechanism to external influences.
This allows them to meditate and enhance the natural balance within them without the use of technology.
The Connection Therapy in Al Waha.
The Museum of the Future will be a space for knowledge that gathers intellectuals and futurists from all over the world.
A drone of an octopus at the Museum of the Future.
A drone of a penguin at the Museum of the Future.
The Museum of the Future in Dubai opened its doors to the public on Wednesday.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
