First-of-its-kind UAE palm museum a hit with UAQ students

Forty students at Emirates Canadian University College in UAQ were involved in setting up the museum, which has more than 50 products such as baskets and beds made from palm leaves.

Student Saeed Al Mansoor looks at one of the items on display at the Palm Museum at Emirates Canadian University College. Antonie Robertson / The National

UMM AL QUWAIN // A student-run museum of items made from palm leaves is helping to preserve a part of the UAE’s heritage.

Forty students at Emirates Canadian University College in the emirate were involved in setting up the museum, which has more than 50 products, such as baskets and beds.

Saeed Al Mansoori, a student of mass communications, came up with the idea three years ago as a way of showing the world that Emiratis are innovative people.

“This is an academic place, and it should have something from the past of the UAE,” he said.

The museum sources items from traditional shops in Sharjah and Fujairah, according to Mr Al Mansoori. “This is the first museum in the UAE that specialises in presenting all kinds of palm-leaf products, such as baskets, mats, tents, fishing boats, children’s toys, baby beds and other everyday tools,” he said.

In the past week, the students worked on updating the museum by adding more items and changing the decoration and palm leaves.

Dr Hassan Mustafa, head of mass communications, said the college had supported the museum financially and wholeheartedly.

“Saeed is an outstanding student and he is interested in the UAE’s heritage and always participates in traditional events in the country,” he said.

“The museum has become a destination for schools in the emirate where lectures about heritage are presented by the professors of the college or traditional experts.”

Mahdi Mansor, a Jordanian student, helped to organise the museum. “Working on the organisation of the museum and the visits of the schools has added a lot to my knowledge of UAE heritage,” the 21-year-old said.

Marwa Mazen, 19, a fellow Jordanian student, said she participated in the museum’s recent upgrading exercise because of her appreciation of the museum. “I started asking the students about each item and I wanted to know more about the traditions of the UAE and its Emirati ancestors, who were using simple tools. It has given me information that I did not know before,” she said.

The museum, on the college’s campus, is open to the public from 8am to 5pm daily.