The Zayed National Museum of United Arab Emirates (UAE), located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, officially opened its doors to the public on Dec 3 local time.
Built in honor of the UAE's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum houses over 3,000 items. Its architectural design draws inspiration from the falcon, the national bird of the country, featuring sleek steel structures evoking falcon feathers in a blend of aesthetics and functionality.
As a national museum, its collections recount a 300,000-year history of human evolution on the land, illustrating the distinctive culture and ways of life shaped by the sea and the desert, as well as the story of the nation's emergence and development in modern times.
In the maritime gallery, the museum also displays Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) porcelain from its collection, offering vivid evidence of centuries-old trade and cultural exchanges between the UAE and China along the Maritime Silk Road.
The museum is part of UAE's national effort to present and preserve local culture and history, said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
"Zayed National Museum reflects a deep national commitment to understanding who we are and how our story continues to evolve. It is a place where citizens, residents, and visitors can engage with the full richness of this land and its people," he said.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00. Tickets are priced at 70 UAE dirhams (about 19 dollars), while visitors under 18 and over 60 are admitted free of charge.
Zayed National Museum opens to public in Abu Dhabi
