Al Shindagha Museum

Spread across a row of restored heritage houses at the mouth of Dubai Creek, Al Shindagha Museum is the most thorough look at how the city grew from a fishing and pearling settlement. The Dubai Creek: Birth of a City pavilion uses archive photographs, objects and film to explain how trade on the water shaped everything that followed.

The standout for many visitors is the Perfume House, which displays more than 60 artefacts, from old incense burners to perfume accessories, and explains how traditional Emirati scents and oils are made. Other houses look at crafts and trades. The site lies at the northern tip of Bur Dubai, so it combines easily with Al Fahidi and an abra ride. Book tickets through Dubai Culture and go in the late afternoon, when the creek light is softest.