Zayed National Museum

The Zayed National Museum is the newest of the major institutions in the Saadiyat Cultural District and the one that tells the story of the UAE itself. It was inaugurated by the UAE President on 3 December 2025 as part of the country's 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations, and it is dedicated to the life and values of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding President, set within the much longer history of the land and its people.

The building, by Foster + Partners, is easy to recognise from a distance. Five tall towers shaped like falcon wings rise above the museum, a reference to the place of falconry in Emirati heritage and a tribute to Sheikh Zayed. They are more than decoration: the towers act as thermal chimneys, drawing hot air up and out so that cooler air moves through the galleries below.

Inside are six permanent galleries with titles that read like a sentence: Our Beginning, Through Our Nature, To Our Ancestors, Through Our Connections, By Our Coasts and To Our Roots. Their titles hint at the themes, from the natural environment and the ancestors of today's Emiratis to trade connections, coastal life and the traditions that shaped the country. The collection runs to more than 3,000 objects, around half of them on display. Highlights include an 18-metre replica of a Bronze Age boat and a fully restored 1966 Chrysler Newport that Sheikh Zayed drove in the desert. Temporary exhibitions add to the permanent displays, and outside is the open-air Al Masar Garden, about 600 metres long.

This is the place to start if you want to understand the country before visiting its other museums, and it suits families as well as history lovers; under-18s enter free. Allow two to three hours for the galleries, and longer if you walk the garden. Book tickets online and check opening times on the official website, especially during holidays, as a recently opened museum can be busy. As at other cultural sites, modest clothing is sensible.

The museum sits in the Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, a short walk or drive from Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and the Abrahamic Family House. Public bus route 94 serves the district, and taxis are plentiful. Pairing the national museum in the morning with the Louvre in the afternoon makes a satisfying day on Saadiyat.