Travelling to Abu Dhabi? Make sure Zayed National Museum is on your list
Sponsored: The National Museum of the United Arab Emirates opened to the public in December 2025
The big cultural moment you have been waiting for in the UAE is here: Zayed National Museum officially opened its doors on Wednesday, December 3 and is launching engaging public programmes and workshops for the month of January.
Zayed National Museum – متحف زايد الوطني
This long-awaited landmark in Saadiyat Cultural District brings history, heritage and learning together in one stunning space, making it the ideal family outing. A lineup of workshops, tours and programmes will kick off in the new year.
Before entering the museum, enjoy a stroll along Al Masar Garden, a 600-metre outdoor gallery that takes visitors through the timeline of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s life, set within landscapes that reflect the environments that inspired him. It features sculptures and plants representing the UAE’s desert, oasis and urban settings.
Sheikh Zayed Portrait 1974 Jack Burlot © Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum Collection
The garden also offers a multi-sensory experience – including sight, where you will come across native and symbolic plants to the Emirati culture, for a touch experience of different textures, materials and sculptural forms, and as for scent, Al Masar Garden is home to flowering species with distinct scents, some of which are linked to traditional practices.
You can also experience sound, where oral histories are heard alongside natural soundscapes that connect visitors with plants, natural materials, and open-air installations.
Zayed National Museum – متحف زايد الوطني
Al Masar Garden also features three Emirati-owned Garden Cafes that are open to the public along its path, for those who wish to drop in for coffee, gelato, or baked treats without needing a museum ticket.
Once you enter the museum, get ready for a journey that reaches deep into the past. Zayed National Museum tells the story of the UAE through its people, all anchored in the vision and values of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
If you love a good story told through notable objects, then you’re in for a treat! Zayed National Museum’s galleries feature artefacts from every corner of the UAE, including community donations, regional loans, as well as standout pieces from around the world.
Zayed National Museum – متحف زايد الوطني
Across six permanent galleries, the experience combines a collection of around 1,500 objects, immersive storytelling and interactive displays.
You’ll find everything from a 300,000-year-old stone tool from Jebel Hafit to rare manuscripts. This is a museum that bridges the past and the future.
Expect to see objects spanning the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages, many uncovered during archaeological excavations across the UAE over the past six decades, displayed alongside treasures from the Islamic period and contemporary items that speak to the country’s dynamic present.
Bifolio from the Blue Qur’an, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum Collection
Visitors will be able to experience a wide range of daily and weekly programmes designed for everyone. The programmes include Quiet Morning, an accessibility-led monthly experience taking place on the first Sunday of each month, offering a calm, welcoming environment with reduced sound levels and softer lighting across selected spaces for visitors with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as Autism and others.
The lineup includes tours that introduce the architecture of the museum, guided walks through the galleries and Al Masar Garden and hands-on workshops inspired by themes from the museum’s permanent displays.
While exploring the stunning grounds of Zayed National Museum, you are sure to work up an appetite, and luckily, the museum has options for every mood.
Visit Erth Restaurant for a fine-dining experience and authentic Emirati cuisine, or Al Ghaf Cafe for light bites and refreshing drinks.
Zayed National Museum – متحف زايد الوطني
And you must stop by Al Nagwa Boutique, the museum’s retail boutique, to pick up beautifully designed keepsakes inspired by the UAE’s culture and craftsmanship.
Grab your tickets
If you’re as excited as we are, you’ll be delighted to know you can book your tickets to visit this stunning museum now.
It’s SAR71 (Dhs70) per adult for general admission tickets, while children under 18 can enter for free. Tickets are sold with specific time slots to ensure all visitors can enjoy their experience as intended.
Visitors are also encouraged to plan their visit in advance via zayednationalmuseum.ae
Location: Zayed National Museum, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Images: Zayed National Museum, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
