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Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum: A first look inside
The museum also pays tribute to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late ruler of Abu Dhabi, known as the nation’s founding father for uniting the federation of seven emirates on 2 December, 1971; a date enshrined in the emirates’ National Day.
His story is told in Our Beginning, the gallery where visitors start their tour and where I’m given tantalising glimpses of the museum’s collection when I visit a few days ahead of opening. Prize exhibits include the sleek black Chrysler car that became synonymous with Sheikh Zayed’s travels to check the progress towards modernisation across the UAE firsthand.
Subsequent galleries dig deep into the past. To Our Ancestors traces human habitation in the region from Paleolithic era stone tools that are 300,000 years old to pottery finds, a reconstruction of Al Ain’s Hili Grand Tomb and a tiny 8,000-year-old lustrous pink pearl to tell the story of trade routes. Through Our Connections, meanwhile, uses touchscreen technology to impressive effect to breathe life into archaeological discoveries such as Christian settlements on Sir Bani Yas island.
By Our Coasts tells the fascinating stories of Arab navigators like Ibn Majid, who was born in Julfar – what is now Ras Al Khaimah – in 1432, through imaginative, almost cinematic displays, as well as examining coastal architecture, fishing, pearling and boatbuilding. If you’re determined to explore the UAE, the museum proves an invaluable resource for adding context to your travels.
