Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum to open in December

The Zayed National Museum will open its doors to the public in December 2025 in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District. Dedicated to the Founding Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum celebrates his vision and values—education, unity, identity, and humanitarianism.

The museum will feature six permanent galleries across two floors, as well as a temporary exhibition gallery, allowing visitors to explore 300,000 years of human history. The exhibitions will showcase artefacts from across the UAE, including important donations and international loans. Sheikh Zayed’s commitment to preserving Emirati culture will be reflected through interactive displays, research initiatives, and community-driven programmes.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Zayed National Museum is the legacy of our Founding Father… It is more than a place of preservation; it is a promise to future generations, a beacon of our identity.”

He emphasised that the museum will act as a space of emotion, memory and vision, embodying Sheikh Zayed’s belief in education, compassion and national pride.

Inspired by Sheikh Zayed’s belief in learning from the past, the museum will house rare archaeological discoveries, from the world’s oldest falaj irrigation system to Bronze Age copper mining sites. The collection spans the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, reflecting more than 50 years of archaeological work in the UAE.

Visitors can look forward to seeing:

Designed by Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, the museum’s architecture pays homage to Emirati heritage. Its five soaring steel structures, inspired by falcon wings, symbolise falconry, a central element of Emirati identity. Sustainability is also a key feature of the design.

Zayed National Museum aims to be inclusive and accessible, offering learning opportunities, interactive exhibitions, and engagement programmes for youth, People of Determination, and the elderly. It will serve as a platform for cultural exchange and bring global perspectives into dialogue with the UAE’s evolving identity.

As a central pillar of the Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum joins world-class institutions like Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Together, they position Abu Dhabi as a global destination for culture, ideas, and innovation.

Highlights: Zayed National Museum