Al Shindagha Museum

Al Shindagha Museum occupies a row of restored heritage houses on the Shindagha headland at the mouth of Dubai Creek, the historic district where the ruling family lived from the late 19th century. It is the most thorough introduction in the city to how Dubai grew from a small fishing, pearling and trading settlement into a global port, and it is run by Dubai Culture.

The core experience is Dubai Creek: Birth of a City, which uses artefacts, archive photographs, film and multimedia displays to explain how life revolved around the creek: the boats, the pearl divers, the merchants and the families who built the town. The Perfume House is a highlight in its own right, with more than 60 artefacts, from incense burners to perfume accessories, showing how traditional Emirati scents and oils are made. The museum also presents finds from Saruq Al Hadid, an archaeological site in the desert discovered in 2002, including iron tools, bronze vessels, gold jewellery and beads, along with a hands-on excavation experience that appeals to children.

Because the exhibits are spread across several houses, wear comfortable shoes and allow at least two hours. The buildings are air-conditioned, but you walk outside between them, so a morning or late-afternoon visit is more comfortable in the warmer months. Tickets are booked online through Dubai Culture, and students and groups pay reduced rates. Dubai Culture's enquiry line is 800 33222.

The museum suits anyone curious about life before the skyscrapers, and the creek setting is attractive in its own right, with dhows moving past and Deira across the water. Families will find the multimedia displays engaging, and history-minded travellers can easily spend half a day here.

The Shindagha district sits at the northern tip of Bur Dubai, a short walk from Al Ghubaiba Metro station on the Green Line and the bus station. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, the former home of a ruler of Dubai, is part of the same historic area. From here you can walk along the creek through the Bur Dubai souk to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, or cross by abra to the spice and gold souks in Deira.