Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum offers a journey through time

Spanning 35,000 square metres, it became the largest museum of its kind in the region

Last updated: February 13, 2026 | 08:05

2 MIN READ

The Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum offered visitors a breathtaking journey through billions of years of Earth’s history, bringing together rare fossils, meteorites and lifelike wildlife displays under one roof.

Afra Alnofeli/Gulf News

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The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi officially opened to the public on November 22, 2025, in the Saadiyat Cultural District. Spanning 35,000 square metres, it became the largest museum of its kind in the region, featuring iconic exhibits such as the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ‘Stan’ and the Murchison meteorite.

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Dinosaur skeletons from the Cretaceous Period on display at Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, showcasing life from 145 to 66 million years ago.

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Strelley Pool Stromatolite on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, showcasing one of the oldest known records of life on Earth.

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From towering dinosaur skeletons of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods to ancient marine fossils discovered in the UAE, the museum guided guests through the dramatic story of life on Earth.

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Eurypterid and Carboniferous plant fossils on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, offering a glimpse into ancient life hundreds of millions of years ago.

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Quartz (silicate mineral) from Brazil on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, showcasing its striking crystalline formation.

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Ballooning spider (Xysticus cristatus) specimen on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, highlighting the fascinating dispersal method used by young spiders.

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Taxidermy display of the Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs)

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Fossil jaw of Archaeopotamus qeshta discovered in Shuwaihat, Abu Dhabi, on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum.

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Dinosaur skeletons from the Jurassic Period on display at the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, recreating a dramatic prehistoric encounter.

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The gallery also featured the Brenham pallasite meteorite, a rare space rock formed in the early solar system, highlighting the museum’s exploration of cosmic origins. Geological treasures such as Brazilian quartz and native sulphur with aragonite from Italy showcased the planet’s extraordinary mineral diversity.

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Taxidermy display of a polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

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