Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding/SMCCU (House 26, Al Mussallah Road, Al Fahidi District, Bur Dubai) — Located in a traditional Wind Tower House in the heart of the historic Al Fahidi District in Bur Dubai, the SMCCU offers a range of activities through its programs. Operating under its philosophy & motto “Open Doors. Open […]
Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House (Shindagha Heritage Area, Dubai) — This was the house of the current ruler’s grandfather. Built in 1896, under Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher al-Maktoum, the house was home to the ruling family until Sheikh Saeed’s death in 1958. Aside from being an architectural marvel, it has been converted into a museum […]
Saadiyat Island Cultural District Exhibition – 700 meters off the coast of Abu Dhabi city is Saadiyal Island. The exhibition held at the Emirates Palace showcases the development plans for the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island. With stunning live-sized models of the Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi, a performing arts […]
Qasr Al Hosn (Khalidiya street, Abu Dhabi) — Despite the skyscrapers towering above its white walls today, Qasr Al Hosn (also known as Al Hosn Palace or White Palace) has remained a landmark and icon of Abu Dhabi, telling the story of rulership by the Al Nahyan family going back to the 18th century. Originally […]
Manarat Al Saadiyat (Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi) – this phrase means ‘the place of Enlightenment’ in Arabic. It is a 15,400 square meter arts and culture center, designed to bring the vision of the island to life through The Saadiyat Story. The venue also features four gallery spaces. Located on Saadiyat Island, this artistic venue […]
Liwa Oasis and Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter)– Liwa Oasis is about 100 km south of the Persian Gulf coast and 150 km SSW of the city of Abu Dhabi, on the northern edge of Rub’ al Khali desert. The geographic and economic center of the oasis is Muzayri, where the highway from Abu Dhabi […]
Jumeirah Mosque (Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai) — This is the best known mosque in Dubai, made prominent by its huge central dome. This is also the only place of worship where non-Muslims can enter. Organized tours of the mosque are conducted every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am.
Jebel Hafit Tombs (located near the Oman border on the east side of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates) — Marine fossils dating back 70 million years to the time when the jebel (Arabic for ‘mountain’) was uplifted from the ocean can be found on the summit and slopes of Jebel Hafit. However, the mountain is […]
Heritage Village (near Marina Mall, Breakwater, Abu Dhabi) — run by the Emirates Heritage Club, this reconstruction of a traditional oasis village provides an interesting glimpse into the emirate’s past. Traditional aspects of the desert way of life, including a campfire with coffee pots, a goats’ hair tent, and a falaj irrigation system, are attractively […]
Emirates National Auto Museum (South of Abu Dhabi, Hamim Road, off E11, Al Dhafra) — this museum is an amazing private collection of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. The collection houses a vast array of cars and other vehicles; some seemingly bought from owners there and then, such as a customized camper van, […]