Dubai, the most famous destination of United Arab Emirates is all about entertainment: beaches. skyscrapers, flower gardens in deserts, safaris and high cuisine restaurants.
However, you can find museums there too! See my selection of museums to visit in Dubai below.
1. ARTE museum Dubai
ARTE museum is a multimedia art museum inside the Dubai Mall. We visited it for the second time, and the space has expanded a lot! ARTE museum was designed by district, a Korean digital design company, and they have lots of other venues, for instance, in Jeju, Busan, Yeosu, Gangneung (South Korea), Chengdu (China) and Las Vegas (USA).
There are a few halls with all types of installations: mystical animals, rose garden, animals of UAE, waves, ice, art masterpieces … …and there’s an amazing installation about the Joseon period of Korea! They have interactive displays where you can colour an animal, scan your illustration and digitally upload it to a big screen with other animals. Just like in Singapore, yes! One of such zones is aquatic, for instance, and another one is dedicated to the Saudi flora.
Come with me to the most amazing multimedia experience here too! When your experience begins, a waiter puts a cup on your empty table – and suddenly a gentle beautiful flower appears in the cup. Awww that’s my favourite dessert – you probably remember me trying it back in Seoul?
2. Museum of future
The futuristic and impressive building of the Museum of Future is one of the most recognisable symbols of Dubai. But what’s inside of it? First you go on a guided tour with staff members – both digital and real ones – to the space to see what will be going on with humanity in 2071.
Next you proceed to some interactive space which looks like an expensive spa. Finally, you’re back to “our” time and can see a few examples of robotics and modern engineering. This hall leads to the open air deck overlooking the motorways and downtown skyline. Finally, there’s some area for kids but if your child is less than 4yo he’ll be placed in a small area with soft bricks.
The building looks fantastic, the concept sounds great, but in reality I wasn’t impressed with it as much as I’d expect to be.Although the museum is presented as a breakthrough science inspired landmark, its scientific content in reality is behind its appearance and part of the experience is just being guided from room to room in a large group.
As it’s called ‘a museum’, I’d expect some expensive graphics inside, some cool scientific immersive attractions, some expansive educational insights, but there’s none of that. However, it’s good for pictures and social media content, and if you have small kids, they might enjoy the glittering lights but you might be better off going to the ARTE museum for that instead. The staff there are very friendly and helpful though. I’d suggest you just observe the building from the outside, maybe pop inside to the shop and to its elevators but not to waste your time and money to see the exhibition.
If you still would love to visit, bear in mind that the tickets tend to get sold out so plan your visit well in advance. Alternatively, you can get a pioneer ticket: it’s more expensive but it allows you to enter at any time of a chosen day, skip queues and get some discount (50 AED) at the museum shop.
3. Al Shindagha Museum
Al Shindagha Museum is a cluster of museums around the Dubai creek all located in the replicas of historical houses. Although not all the museums are open to the public now, it’s still a very good and very well made place to learn about trade, traditional occupations, folklore, poetry, perfumes etc of Emirati people.
And the views around the museum are absolutely scenic. We started with the largest pavilion – Culture of the Sea – telling the visitors about the connections of the local people with the sea via dhow building, trade, and fishing.
And of course, learn here about the pearling including the ways pearls form inside oysters, oyster beds, and oyster species such as Mahara (Pinctada Radiata) and Sdeifi (Pincrada margaritifera).
In the museum of perfume you can smell every single scent you read about! Such a cool presentation! Besides that, you can learn about the ways each scent is obtained and used in Emirati tradition.
Overall, the museum is a very good introduction to the Arab culture and traditions and helps to understand the past and modern ways of living here. And nearby you can spot Al Shandahah watchtower, originally built in 1939 and restored in 1994.
4. Etihad museum
Etihad means union in Arabic, so basically this is a museum of UAE history since the 1960s when the British announced that they would leave this land, to 1971 when 6 Emirates united and 1972 when they became 7; and the values that are carried by the country leaders till today.
The museum is also known as the Union house is located exactly on the spot where UAE was born!
Temporary exhibition is dedicated to Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the nation, and to his vision. A museum under his name is soon to be open in Abu Dhabi – we’ve seen it getting constructed not far away from the Louvre!
The museum is pretty family friendly too: you receive a trail book with hints and an activity book upon your arrival! Besides that, there are not many visitors, so you explore everything at your own pace.
Come to the Etihad museum instead of the Museum of the future if you’d like to see technology in action!
What else to see?
You might also want to visit the Dubai museum but it’s temporarily closed now. At the Al Fahidi historical district you can also find the Coin Museum and Coffee museum. And at Al Seef souk nearby there is the Museum of Illusions.
You might also like my other blogs about the Middle East.
Hope you liked my new blog,
Yours,
Anna xxx
