Abu Dhabi might have stolen some of its neighbour’s limelight with the unveiling of the Louvre a few years back, but Dubai has risen to the challenge, opening a slew of high-profile museums – like the uber-futuristic and ambitious Museum of the Future – that have become destinations in themselves. Nor has it forgotten its past, and indeed Dubai is one of the best of the seven emirates to learn about life in the Arabian Gulf as it was before the oil industry.
Indeed, a quick Google search may reveal so many museums in the emirate that even the most trenchant and dedicated culture vulture would struggle to take them all in, with institutions dedicated to seemingly every facet of life in the emirate: from pearl diving to coffee to coins. There is even a space – Naif Museum – dedicated to the history of the Dubai police force.
As well as being packed with culture, museums are also a great place to beat the heat should you choose to visit the UAE in the summer, and families in particular will find lots to do when their children get sick of the beach. Museums tend to be open much later in the UAE and it is not unusual for families to visit with children well into the evening.
1. Al Shindagha Museum
Situated next to Dubai Creek, the site where the founding tribe of the emirate, the Bani Yas, first settled in 1833, Al Shindagha Museum is a themed multimedia experience that demonstrates the development of the Creek over the past 200 years. Be sure to spend some time before or after your visit wandering the creek itself and take a traditional abra from one side to the other, preferably at sunset as the call to prayer rings out from a hundred mosques. Perfume House, nearby, explores the role of the scent and perfume trade on the development of the UAE.
Al Sindagha is open daily from 10am to 8pm.
2. Etihad Museum
Meaning ‘unity’ in Arabic, Etihad Museum – on the same spot as Union House – is built on the site where the agreement between the six trucial states (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Um al Quwain and Fujairah) was made to set up the United Arab Emirates in 1971. As well as a curved white roof that symbolises the actual constitution agreed by the emirates, it includes seven columns in honour of the pens that each ruler used to sign it (Ras Al Khaimah joined two months later).
Etihad Museum is open daily from 10am to 8pm.
3. Coffee Museum
Located within the Al Fahidi restoration project in Bur Dubai, the Coffee Museum traces the history of the restorative hot beverage from its mysterious origins and its ubiquitous position in the modern world. It includes exhibits - antique coffee pots and other paraphernalia - and explanations of regional styles, from Ethiopian to Arabic. These exhibits serve as something of an hor d’oeuvre to the main event, a cafe where you can try various styles and roasts.
The Coffee Museum is open 9am to 5pm every day except Friday.
4. Bait Al Banat Women's Museum
Telling the story of Emirati women and the role they have played in the development of the emirate, the Bait Al Banat Women's Museum is located near the city’s Gold Souk in Deira and means, in Arabic, ‘the Girls’ House’. It uses interviews, personal items, diaries and letters to tell the stories of women through history that have been involved in Dubai’s development. These include the story of Ousha Bint Khalifa, the renowned poet.
Bait Al Banat Women's Museum is open from 10am to 6pm daily.
5. Museum of the Future
This enormous modern museum imagines what life will look like in 2071 through a series of hands-on exhibits on tech and sustainability and is a great way to while away an hour (or three) – especially if you need to keep the kids entertained. Housed in a vast steel oval shape adorned with calligraphy on Sheikh Zayed Road, you will need to download an app before your visit. The museum begins with a simulated space shuttle voyage, before leading to various rooms of exhibits. There’s also a wealth of masterclasses, talks and activity camps for all ages.
Museum of the Future is open from 9.30am to 9pm daily.
5. Dubai Museum (Al Fahidi Fort)
Formerly housed in Dubai’s oldest building, the Al Fahidi Fort in Bur Dubai, Dubai Museum has been closed for renovation the past three years, but new reconstruction plans were recently revealed and when it does re-open it will tell the story of the city’s rapid evolution from fishing village to global city. It is expected to include engaging dioramas and reconstructions of traditional homes, souks and mosques, and is housed in the fortified home and weapons arsenal of Dubai’s rulers.
You can still view the building from the outside and there is plenty to see in the nearby Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, including the full-size Arabian dhow that sits outside the walls of the fort and gives a welcome look into the emirate’s maritime past.
Dubai Museum is currently closed.
6. The Green Planet
An impressive biodome that recreates a tropical rainforest ecosystem and is home to 3,000 plants and animals, including sloths, toucans, and various species of reptiles and fish, Green Planet is one of Dubai’s most ambitious museums. Visitors are able to explore the distinct different habitats – or ‘levels’ – of the rainforest, including the forest floor, the mid-story and the canopy, all three of which have their own distinct plant and animal ecosystems. At various times during the day, zoo-keepers allow visitors to interact with animals.
The Green Planet is open 10am to 6pm daily.
