Prime Minister and Crown Prince open Qasr Al Watan – Abu Dhabi's new cultural landmark


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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed opened Qasr Al Watan, the nation’s newest cultural landmark, in the Presidential Palace compound on Sunday.

The Ruler of Dubai together with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, led the opening ceremony.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed the UAE's cultural legacy was a precious asset that demanded respect. Sheikh Mohamed underscored its significance in empowering and inspiring future generations by instilling a deep sense of national pride.

The building will open to the public from noon on Monday, before opening daily between 10am and 8pm.

Visitors will be able to tour the site and see a library that is home to vast collection of books and resources on the UAE's political, social and cultural history.

Guests will also be able to experience interactive cultural exhibitions. In the west wing, they will learn about the formation of the UAE and its governance, and have access to halls typically reserved for official summits.

In the House of Knowledge in the east wing, visitors can explore a vast collection of artefacts and rare manuscripts that highlight the Arab world’s contributions to fields including science, arts, humanities and literature.

The Presidential Palace is home to the formal offices of the President, Vice President and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

The venue has hosted a number of global leaders since 2015, including Pope Francis and Xi Jingping, the president of China.

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If you go

The flights

Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes. 

The car

Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.

The hotels

Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes. 

More info

To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.