UAE | Heritage and Culture
Museums in the UAE
Dubai museum is housed in the Al Fahidi Fort. The building was constructed around 1799 and has served as a palace, garrison and prison in the past. In 1970 it was renovated and became Dubai Museum in 1971, with additional galleries being added in 1995.
- Gulf News
- Published: 13:43 November 1, 2008
Dubai Museum
Dubai Museum is housed in the Al Fahidi Fort. The building was constructed around 1799 and has served as a palace, garrison and prison in the past. In 1970 it was renovated and became Dubai Museum in 1971, with additional galleries being added in 1995.
Exhibits
The museum houses many exhibits from Dubai's history. There are several static displays showing Dubai life from ages past, including souk, fishing, domestic and desert travel scenes. Galleries show scenes from the Creek, traditional Arab houses, mosques, the souk, date farms as well as desert and marine life.
These galleries reflect the nature of the UAE, from the beach to the city and the oasis areas to the nomadic Bedouin culture.
Artifacts from several excavated sites in Dubai date back to the third millennium B.C. The two main excavated sites in Dubai were discovered in Jumeirah and Al Qusais.
The Jumeirah site is not currently open to visitors, but special permission can be granted for archaeologists.
According to May Hamid, researcher at Dubai Museum, the most popular exhibits are housed in the archaeological halls, which also displays artifacts from Al Sufouh and Hatta.
Islamic period discoveries were made at the Jumeirah site, dating back to the 7th century. A total of 50 tombs were found on the left side of the Jima Valley, which dated from 3,000 B.C.
An outside area at the museum recreates a traditional desert house, with seating and sleeping area as well as a kitchen. Ancient dhows lay outside the house, with a collection of shiny bronze cannons and cannon balls.
A video, updated in 2007, depicts Dubai from before the discovery of oil in the 1960s to the current day.
In 2007, Dubai Museum welcomed 1,800 visitors daily, with a 2007 yearly total of 611,840. In March 2008, the Museum had 80,000 visitors. The most popular times are from August to April.
Al Hosn Palace
By Dina El Shammaa, Staff Reporter
Al Hosn Palace or Qasr Al Hosn is the oldest building in Abu Dhabi and symbolises the historical development as well as the political history of its rulers from 1795 to 1966.
The building was developed from a freestanding conical tower built in 1761 to protect the newly discovered water source on the island, into a large and fortified fort for the ruler of Abu Dhabi used for defending the area.
Under Shaikh Shakhbut Bin Dhiab, who ruled Abu Dhabi from 1793 to 1816, the old tower that protected the vital water source was integrated into a larger rectangular fort arrangement. Since that date, the fort became the official seat of rule of the shaikhs of Al Nahyan until 1966.
Qasr Al Hosn is the main landmark in the city and it is visited by 10 to 15 busloads of tourists of various nationalities daily. It will soon undergo an ambitious project of conservation and rehabilitation to make it the memorial site for Abu Dhabi and Al Nahyan Ruling Family.
The Dubai Municipality Museum was opened in February 2006, offering an insight into the civic body and Dubai as a whole. Its focus is the stages of the body's development since it was made an independent entity in 1957 and is housed in the Municipality's old office building built in the mid-1950s.
The Municipality headquarters moved to a building in Al Maktoum Street in 1964 and then moved to its current location in Deira's Bani Yas Street in 1980.
Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, said at the time that the museum embodies the rich heritage of [our] forefathers. The building was renovated using traditional materials, which restored it to its former glory, he added.
Artifacts on show include orders of former and current officials, in particular an order of the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, appointing municipal council members.
Rare photographs on display show historic scenes of a meeting of the first municipal council, the public library in 1962, Deira's clocktower roundabout in 1963 and work on the Shindagha Tunnel in 1975, amongst others.
Dubai Police Museum opened to the public on November 19, 1987, highlighting the achievements of the force since it was established 31 years ago in 1956.
Although a fire ripped through the previous building in 2006, a majority of the historical artifacts were rescued.
Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police, inaugurated the rebuilt Dubai Police Museum in March this year, in Dubai Police's General headquarters in Al Twar 1, near Al Mulla Plaza.
According to the museum supervisor, the museum has helped the police develop better relations with the public.
The objectives of the museum are to document the achievements of the police force since its inception, as well as educate the public on how law and order is maintained.
The museum attracts thousands of visitors each year, including international delegations, school pupils and researchers.
Exhibits
The museum boasts three halls, displaying items such as weapons used by the police over the years, early communication devices and the first police logo.
It also houses a large and ungainly computer first imported by Dubai Police, which at the time was the latest technology.
Displays at the museum include photography, a collection of anti-riot devices; tools and police equipment used to fight riots and drug trafficking, and handicrafts.
Al Ain National Museum
By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
Al Ain National Museum was the first such institution established in the UAE and has a rich collection of ancient and modern artifacts.
Located in the heart of the city, the museum is managed by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.
The museum has been attracting a large number of visitors including a number of tourists interested in Arab history, culture and tradition.
According to a museum official, the founder of the museum, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, had a special interest in the past and the heritage and wanted to preserve it for future generations.
Al Ain Museum was inaugurated by Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region, on November 2, 1971.
Exhibits
Excavations in and around Al Ain are also displayed in the National Museum.
The city was once home to Stone and Bronze Age civilisations. Findings from these eras have given insight into the ancient inhabitants, including unique inventions, arts and crafts.
In the ethnography and archaeology section, the museum houses collections that tell the story of UAE from both the past and the recent history.
The old tradition of life has also been recreated in this section as some aspects of it faded out with the discovery of oil. A visit to this section allows the visitors to understand the dramatic changes the region has witnessed only in a few decades.
The archaeology section deals with the chronological sequence of the ages passed.
The section contains exhibits that show how people of the UAE used to live some 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Artifacts from the Stone, Iron and Bronze Ages are also displayed in this section.
The archaeological section also has an attractive exhibit of old coins. A hoard of 300 silver coins was accidentally discovered in the vicinity of the city of Al Ain. These coins were minted more than 300 years ago.
Fujairah Museum
By Fuad Ali, Staff Reporter
Fujairah Museum was opened on November 30, 1991 and has since been upgraded to include more showrooms and exhibits.
The busiest time of the year for the museum is from October through to the end of March, during which time the museum is visited by up to 800 tourists a week.
Most visitors are European nationals over the age of 50, though visitors from North America and Asia are also represented.
Emirati and GCC nationals as well as Expatriates make up the rest of visitors to the Museum.
During school terms, the museum receives daily visits from school children and small exhibitions are regularly held at school events.
Exhibits
Fujairah Museum boasts archaeological exhibits discovered during numerous excavations all over the emirate, with most finds in the last 15 years.
The history period covered by the exhibits extend from sixth millennium B.C. to the end of the Islamic rule and beyond.
Other exhibits showcase the traditional and cultural heritage of the local inhabitants of the East Coast over the last century.
Perhaps, the most unique exhibit of the Fujairah Museum is an Ostrich egg dated at 2,500 years B.C.
Other artifacts, such as spear heads, pottery and jewellery are also on display, recovered from a number of discovered sites such as the U-shaped tomb at Qidfa and the Bithna Temple.
Souq Al Majarrah
By Mariam M. Al Serkal,Staff Reporter
One of the most famous shopping destinations in the 1980s was the Souq Al Majarrah, as visitors were keen to admire its extravagant architectural designs.
Having been built in 1987, it quickly turned out to become a popular landmark for both the people of Sharjah and tourists.
The building also became the second souq in Sharjah to use traditional-Islamic design - the first being the Central Souq that was built in 1977.
After standing for more than 20 years in Sharjah the building of Souq Al Majarrah still proudly stands, although it is not a home for shops anymore. In 2008, the building was renovated and reopened as the Museum of Islamic Civilisation.
The Islamic museum has now become the 20th museum in the emirate and aims to reach the interest of people of different ages and interests, according to Aisha Deemas, curator of the Museum of Islamic Civilisation.
Sharjah Heritage Museum
The Sharjah Heritage Museum is a combination of several museums and includes the Souq Al Arsah and Bait Al Naboudah, all located at the Heritage Area in Al Shuwaihean.
Bait Al Naboudah is a two-storey family house, built around a shaded courtyard, is dedicated to a reconstruction of a family life long ago. The various rooms have displays of traditional furniture and household items as well as children's games, jewellery and costumes.
Visitors can see handcrafted works of art and objects that date back to a time when people relied solely on fishing and pearling. One can also see old coins, the early postal system, herbal medicines and musical instruments.
Umm Al Quwain Museum
By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
The history of Umm Al Quwain Museum goes back to 1768 when it was established as the residence for the Emiri family, and hundreds of years later (in the year 2000) it was made a museum.
Shaikh Khalid Bin Humaid Al Mualla, the General Manager of the Museums and Heritage Department, said the Umm Al Quwain Museum has a fundamental importance in presenting the history, heritage of Umm Al Quwain and the UAE.
Shaikh Khalid said visitors of various nationalities, including Emiratis, GCC nationals and expatriates visit the museum, on average about 120 per day. He added that schools, colleges, universities and tourist groups come to the museum. Big numbers of families visit the museum to get a tour of the antiques on display. The museum provides booklets and leaflets stating the history of the items on display.
Exhibits
The museum includes many valuable items on display. Shaikh Khalid said that the majority of these items have been brought from the Ed-dour historical site whose history goes back to the Roman Empire.
The Hisn Fort is the former residence of the Al Qasimi Ruling family that displays traditional architecture and artefacts. Built in 1820 by Shaikh Sultan Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the double-storey fort is the home to priceless items including old photographs, classic weapons and trading tools that showcase 200 years of Sharjah's history.
This carefully restored fort is situated in the middle of Burj Avenue and was the residence of the ruling family for 200 years. Although it was torn down in 1969 due to the structural changes of the city, His Highness Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah restored it with the help of old photographs and documents, his own notes and the assistance of elderly residents.
It now houses a museum with exhibits on pearl fishing, education and trade, as well jewellery, and weapons.
In 1932 the first airport in the Gulf was opened in Sharjah, and was used as a staging post for commercial flights en route from Britain to India.
From man's first attempts to fly to landing on the moon, visitors can explore the history of flight and the development of aviation in this region at the Al Mahatta Museum which is located next to the Department of Immigration behind Al Estiqlal Street.
Visitors can watch a film about the daily life at the airport and Sharjah Town during the 1930s and experience first hand this fascinating period of Sharjah's history.
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