Celebrate International Museum Day with free entry, dinosaur skeletons, digital art and fascinating stories across Abu Dhabi’s museums
From ancient civilisations and dinosaur skeletons to immersive digital art and stories that shaped the UAE, Abu Dhabi’s museum scene is having a serious moment. And with International Museum Day taking place on May 18, there is an even better reason to plan a cultural day out.
From May 16 to 18, visitors can enjoy free entry to Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi as part of the International Museum Day celebrations. Whether you want to wander beneath Louvre Abu Dhabi’s famous rain of light, stand face-to-face with a T. rex, or explore the UAE’s oldest museum in Al Ain, these are the museums worth adding to your weekend plans.
Al Ain Museum
Image supplied
Opened in 1969 by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Al Ain Museum holds the title of the UAE’s first museum. Located in the UNESCO-listed Al Ain Oasis, it explores the region’s history from prehistoric times through to present day life. Expect archaeological finds, historic artefacts and a closer look at how oasis communities lived centuries ago.
Location: Al Ain Oasis
Time: Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm
Contact: 03 763 8235
Delma Museum
Image supplied
For a proper off-the-grid cultural day trip, Delma Museum is worth the ferry ride. Located on Delma Island in Al Dhafra Region, the museum is housed inside the former home of a pearl merchant dating back to the early 1900s. The island itself has a history stretching back nearly 7,000 years, making it one of the UAE’s most fascinating historic destinations.
Location: Delma Island, Al Dhafra Region
Time: Daily, 8am to 3pm
Contact: 02 444 0444
Al Maqta’a Museum
Image supplied
One of Abu Dhabi’s lesser-known cultural spots, Al Maqta’a Museum sits inside the restored Al Maqta’a Fort. The museum looks at the emirate’s policing history through vintage police vehicles, uniforms and archival displays. Outside, the historic Al Maqta’a Tower still stands watch over the waterway.
Location: Al Maqta Area
Time: Daily, 9am to 5pm
Contact: 02 444 0444
Qasr Al Hosn
What’s On archive
If you want to understand Abu Dhabi’s history, start here. Qasr Al Hosn is the city’s oldest stone structure, originally built in the 1760s to protect a freshwater source. Over time it became home to the ruling family before reopening as a museum in 2018. Walking through the fort feels like stepping into old Abu Dhabi, with artefacts and archival materials dating back thousands of years.
Location: Al Hosn
Time: Daily, 10am to 8pm
Contact: 02 697 6400
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi
Image supplied
This is not a quick museum stop. Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi takes visitors on a 13.8-billion-year journey from the Big Bang to modern life on Earth. The giant drawcard is Stan the T. rex, one of the largest and most complete dinosaur skeletons ever discovered. There is also the famous Murchison Meteorite and two temporary exhibitions currently on display, including March of the Triceratops.
Location: Saadiyat Cultural District
Time: Daily, 10am to 8pm
Contact: 600 565566
Louvre Abu Dhabi
What’s On archive
Even if you have visited before, Louvre Abu Dhabi always gives you a reason to go back. The first universal museum in the Arab world remains one of Abu Dhabi’s most impressive spaces, both architecturally and culturally. Right now, the big exhibition is Picasso, the Figure, featuring more than 130 works exploring Picasso’s obsession with the human form. The exhibition runs until the end of May.
Location: Saadiyat Cultural District
Time: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to midnight
Contact: 600 565566
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi
Image supplied
This is where art gets interactive. teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is the largest purpose-built digital art space in the world, with installations that shift and respond as visitors move through them. Expect glowing rooms, immersive projections and artworks that feel different every time you visit. Two new installations, Massless Suns and Dark Suns and Megaliths in the Roots Garden, have recently been added.
Location: Saadiyat Cultural District
Time: Daily, 10am to 7pm
Contact: 600 565566
Zayed National Museum
Image: Zayed National Museum
One of Abu Dhabi’s newest landmarks, Zayed National Museum is already collecting international praise. Designed by Lord Norman Foster, the museum’s striking falcon-inspired towers are impossible to miss. Inside, six permanent galleries trace more than 300,000 years of history across the UAE, alongside stories about the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Highlights include the ancient Abu Dhabi Pearl and the reconstructed Bronze Age Magan Boat. And for International Museum Day, visitors can explore the museum free of charge from May 16 to 18.
Location: Saadiyat Cultural District
Time: Daily, 10am to 8pm
Contact: 600 565566
> Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
