Museums in UAE

The museums in Uae are an amazing site to look at as they are multiple museums you can visit with your family.The museums have a rich emirati culture and have been part of fascinating Arabic culture.The museums are such fascinating places to visit and some really interesting museums for a history geek to enjoy. Let’s have a look at some of the museums in the UAE.

1- Dubai museum:

This museum is located on Al Fahidi Street in Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai. It was opened in 1971 and celebrates traditional Bedouin life in the UAE. It looks at Bedouins’ lives on the coast, in the mountains, and in the desert terrain. There are plenty of historical findings and maps in the museum, along with a video room that shows a fascinating reel of Dubai’s development.

2- Louvre Abu dhabi:

This is the first Louvre to open outside Paris and was opened in Abu Dhabi in November 2017. It is designed like a shallow dome that houses 600 artworks and artifacts offering a glimpse into the history of the world and its many religions. The Louvre in Abu Dhabi was designed by award-winning architect Jean Nouvel. The exhibitions are maintained in chronological order to encourage dialogue between the pieces, despite their different cultural contexts.

3- Sharjah museum of Islamic Civilization:

Opened in 1987, this museum in UAE is locally called Souk Al Majarrah. It is dedicated to tracing Islamic history. There are many artifacts as well as Islamic art and sculptures to be seen. The main attraction here is their beautiful dome above your head that is decorated by the Zodiac signs in the night sky. The first floor’s Islamic Faith Gallery has astronomical works that help to locate the direction towards the Kaaba. This museum can be found opposite Sharjah Creek.

4- Emirates National Auto Museum:

Once featured in BBC’s popular auto show called Top Gear, the Emirates National Auto Museum is home to over 200 cars from Shaikh Hamid Bin Hamdan Al Nahyn’s personal collection. Its famous cars include the Mercedes rainbow collection. The museum was established in 2004.

5- Etihad Museum Dubai:

This museum in UAE has large halls, an education area, recreational spaces and administrative offices along with eight permanent galleries. They host frequent exhibitions that are experience-driven while their many programmes are quite interactive. The entrance of the Etihad Museum is quite memorable as it is shaped like a manuscript with seven columns. This museum is located across the 2nd of December Street in Dubai.
6- Al- Ain Palace Museum Abu dhabi:

7- Sharjah Science Museum:

This museum is hugely popular for their fascinating exhibitions and hands-on experiments on aerodynamics, physics and physiology among other sciences. It was opened in April 1997 to be an interactive, fun museum on science. It’s great for children and many school tours have been organized here. Their electricity show is considered a must-see attraction. The museum is located near Sharjah Media Corporation in Al Abar area.

8- Saeed- al -makhtoom House:

Saeed Al Maktoum House was built in 1896 in the Al Shindagha area. It was the residence of the Al Maktoum ruling family till 1958, as it was a residence and premises for the Dubai monarch at the time, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum. The House is located at the protruding part above Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai) strategically, which made it stand amidst Deira and Bur Dubai, overlooking the Arabian Gulf. This house witnessed the birth of his sons and grandsons and is also considered as a touristic icon that receives visitors all year round.

9- The Women’s Museum of Bait Al Banat:
This museum in UAE was created by Prof Rafi Ghubash in an attempt to remove stereotypes about women in the Arab world and preserve their history and achievements, especially women in the history of the UAE. It was established in the 1950’s. The museum can be found in the Old Gold Souk in Deira.

10- The Camel Museum:

Once called Beit Al Rekab, this museum firmly establishes the importance of camels in UAE’s history. It was built in the 1940’s in Al Shindagha Area in Dubai. The exhibits discuss the different types of camels, anatomy, characteristics and how to care for them, among other things. Camel Museum is open from and there is no entry charge.

11- Dubai coffee museum:
This is the first museum in the UAE dedicated to coffee. It was opened on International Coffee Day in 2014. Located in Al Fahidi district, the museum showcases different roasting and brewing techniques, along with a large collection of books on the history of coffee. It has a lounge where you can enjoy a hot cup of coffee for yourself and a gift shop to buy memorabilia for your friends.

12- Dubai pearl museum:
Established in 2003, this museum is home to the world’s largest collection of saltwater pearls. It celebrates the history and tradition of pearling in the UAE. The museum celebrates pearl divers and sailors and has a large collection of equipment and maps used to harvest these pearls. It was established by the late Sultan Al Owais. Visits are by appointment only and tour groups can have a maximum of 10 people at a time. Entry to the Pearl Museum is free. It can be found in Emirates Bank Headquarters in Deira.

13- Dubai Moving Images Museum:
This museum houses the private collection of prominent businessman Mr Akram Niknas. It is located in the MCN Hive Building. The collection has some fascinating artwork, some pieces even dating back to the 1730’s. It was founded in 2011.

14- Sharjah Maritime Museum:
Sharjah has a fascinating history of trading, fishing and pearling. This museum in UAE aims to share the region’s marine stories. It was originally opened in the Heritage Area in 2003 although it was moved to Al Khan area in 2009. It focuses especially on the UAE’s seafaring dhow culture. It is home to the ancient pearl, one of the world’s oldest pearls.

From coffee and automobiles to Islamic Civilization and camels, the museums in UAE offer a slice of culture in a variety of educational spheres. If you’d like to dive head-first into the history of the UAE, museums are a great way to start!