Zayed National Museum Presents a 300,000 Year History of the UAE

The Zayed National Museum has just opened its door to the public, telling the story of the UAE from ancient times to the present day through more than 1,500 objects on display.

Taken from a wider permanent collection of over 3,000 items that traces the region’s archaeological, cultural and social history, the galleries of the museum cover the early human presence in the region, its maritime and desert life, the growth of settlements and trade routes, and the UAE's development into the modern era.

The oldest item in the museum, a fossilised clam, is 70 million years old, while the newest item, a passport, was used as recently as 2021. Among the most treasured artefacts at the Museum is the Blue Quran, which dates between 800 and 900 AD and features gold script on a vivid blue parchment.

Visitors will also be able to see the Abu Dhabi Pearl, an 8,800 year-old pearl that was found in 2017 on Marwah Island and is one of the oldest in the world. An artefact from the oldest known inhabitants of what is now UAE, a 300,000 year-old stone tool found near Jebel Hafeet, is also on display.

One of the largest exhibits at the Museum is a reconstruction of a Bronze-age Magan boat. The boat was reconstructed using traditional techniques and materials described on an ancient clay tablet.