Zayed National Museum to Open in Abu Dhabi This December

Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District will welcome a major new addition this December with the opening of the long-anticipated Zayed National Museum. Positioned as the national museum of the UAE, the landmark institution will honour the legacy of the country’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, highlighting his lifelong dedication to education, cultural preservation, and national identity.

Spread across six permanent galleries and a temporary exhibition space, the museum will showcase 300,000 years of human history through archaeological discoveries, donated artefacts, and significant domestic and international loans. Highlights include the Abu Dhabi Pearl, considered one of the world’s oldest natural pearls, the Blue Qur’an, a masterpiece of Islamic calligraphy, and a reconstructed ancient Magan Boat.

Designed by renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, the building features five steel towers inspired by falcon wings, symbolising a practice central to Emirati heritage. The design also integrates sustainability and accessibility at its core.

The museum will join a growing cultural ecosystem in Saadiyat that includes Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.