Zayed National Museum opens Dec 3: A landmark tribute to the UAE’s heritage and future

Built on Saadiyat, the museum reflects years of meticulous construction and vision

Last updated: December 01, 2025 | 16:15

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Zayed National Museum, opening on 3 December, rises in the Saadiyat Cultural District as a national landmark shaped by vision, heritage and innovation. Its creation honours the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, bringing the nation’s story to life through immersive galleries and cultural narratives.

Zayed National Museum

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The museum has designed its membership programmes to ensure a welcoming experience for all while encouraging visitors to return, explore and engage with the story of the nation.

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Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster, the museum features soaring wing-shaped towers inspired by Sheikh Zayed’s love of falconry.

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Visitors begin their journey in Al Masar Garden, a 600-metre outdoor gallery featuring native landscapes, falaj irrigation and a timeline of Sheikh Zayed’s life.

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Inside, more than 1,500 artefacts from a 3,000-piece collection tell the story of the UAE from ancient times to the modern era.

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The “Our Beginning” gallery immerses visitors in the life of Sheikh Zayed through recordings, rare photographs, personal items and historic documents.

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Archaeological discoveries spanning 300,000 years— including one of the world’s oldest pearls—are showcased in the “To Our Ancestors” gallery.

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Galleries explore the UAE’s deep connections through trade, language, religion and maritime heritage, from Ibn Majid to the pearl divers. Above, construction work in progress in 2023 highlights the meticulous effort behind creating the Zayed National Museum.

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March 18, 2023: Construction of the Zayed National Museum, seen from the Abrahamic Family House in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, Abu Dhabi.

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