Inaugurated by Mohammed bin Rashid and called for preserving our heritage and highlighting the values of national identity

Al Shindagha Museum Here is Dubai's inspiring history

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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stressed that preserving our cultural and historical heritage is a permanent approach that reflects our firm commitment to highlighting the values of national identity and the civilizational and human dimensions embodied by the people of the UAE since ancient times. We want the world to learn about the story of Dubai and its ancient history. It was a meeting place for merchants and those looking for a better life and will remain the beating heart of the world's civilizations culturally and humanly."

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline Group, and Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai). Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, and a number of senior officials, participants in the development of the museum, contributing teams, entrepreneurs and artists.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum directed the transformation of the 310,<>-square-meter Al Shindagha area into an open-air museum that showcases Dubai's inspiring story to the world, and is known for its unique achievements with its human and cultural dimensions.

During the opening ceremony, hosted by the House of the late Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the museum and was briefed on some of its pavilions, especially the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed pavilion within Dar Al Maktoum, which documents the experience of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, may God rest his soul, and his role in shaping Dubai's renaissance.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum listened to an explanation of the most prominent holdings of Dar Al Maktoum, which includes within its walls the ancient heritage of the ruling family in the Emirate of Dubai and the achievements of its men, and the most prominent historical events that Dubai has witnessed during the past decades, as well as the history of the rulers of Dubai in the 19th century, their most prominent decisions, and important historical events associated with them, as the house is full of rich information and human stories.

Heritage safeguarding

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed the importance of the role of Al Shindagha Museum in preserving heritage, pointing out that cultural heritage is the cornerstone of building any civilization. She said: "At Al Shindagha Museum, we feel the ambitious spirit of Dubai in all its details, and this historical edifice documents the stories of success and achievements in Dubai's march that was started by the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, under its roof began the dream and ambition, and between its walls was the beginning of the journey in which His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum led us to the future."

Her Highness pointed to the role of contributors from intellectuals, researchers, historians, those interested in heritage and collectors who contributed to enriching the content and content of the museum with their rare collectibles and rich documents that embody our ancient past, and reflect our heritage, customs and traditions in the best way, and that they are the ones who delivered the supreme message to Al Shindagha Museum through their solidarity and cohesion, and praised the cooperation of officials, government agencies and their teams who worked in a team spirit to achieve this achievement until it turned into reality.

From community to community

Al Shindagha Museum stands tall in the heart of Al Shindagha in the Dubai Creek area, as the museum narrates the emirate's ancient history and heritage. Reflecting the traditional lifestyle that prevailed in Dubai from the mid-19th century to the seventies, Al Shindagha Museum tells a global story of human achievement, resilience and a desire for progress that contributed to building the city of Dubai as we see it today. The museum contains investment spaces that offer opportunities for service facilities and projects related to heritage and culture.

Visitors to Al Shindagha Museum will have the opportunity to discover exhibits that embody Dubai's past through innovative exhibitions, events and specialized public educational programmes, reflecting Dubai's quest to elevate the emirate's cultural scene, preserve heritage and introduce it to the public.

More than 2025 community members participated in the construction of the museum, which targets about one million visitors by 100, who presented their belongings, stories and memories, as it is a museum from community to community. The museum's collections navigate local memory, forming the cornerstone of Dubai's vibrant historic district.

Evolution Journey

Al Shindagha Museum is the largest heritage museum in the UAE, with 22 pavilions housing more than 80 diverse historic houses, each reflecting the development of Dubai and the UAE. The museum offers the opportunity to discover Dubai's history, culture and heritage through a collection of collections, exhibits, films and photographs in an interactive and innovative way.

The museum includes "Dubai Creek House. The house is the starting point for every visitor who wants to learn about the history of Dubai in a brief way, and the house displays more than 150 archaeological and historical pieces, photos and historical films of the Emirate of Dubai in the middle of the 20th century, telling the story of Dubai Creek.

Among the houses in the museum is the House of Faith and Life, which provides a look at the beautiful human and social meanings of Islamic heritage, and shows how Islam has enabled members of the local community to preserve their heritage and identity.

Contemporary Dubai House reviews the cultural, economic and historical factors that contributed to Dubai's development, focuses on Dubai's first growth boom in the 19th and 20th centuries, and sheds light on the emirate's civilizational development.

Al Shindagha Museum also houses the House of Perfumes, which was previously the home of the late Sheikha Sheikha bint Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, and was chosen as a perfume museum in honor of her passion for traditional Emirati perfumes. It showcases the culture of perfumes, their development and their connection to Dubai, and gives the visitor the opportunity to explore some of the ingredients used in the composition of the Emirati perfume, such as: fermentation, frankincense, dukhoon, fool oil, eucalyptus and others. It offers a sensory and interactive display on the basic ingredients of local perfumes, and includes more than 70 collectibles, most notably a 3000,28-year-old incense burner discovered at the Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site in Dubai, along with a number of historical incense burners and perfume decorations, in addition to a huge 1-kilogram and 2.<>-meter-long "oud trunk" gifted by Sheikha Sheikha bint Saeed Al Maktoum, may God have mercy on her.

Visitors discover the life of craftsmen in Dubai, and the house's collections highlight the ways in which ancestors harnessed natural resources to create products that suit their daily needs and lives.

The House of Adornment and Beauty offers a rich experience for its visitors, presenting different models of Emirati national dress, as part of the national identity, as well as showcasing the adornment styles of Emirati women.

The Traditional Jewellery House showcases a wide range of jewellery made of precious metals, precious stones and pearls.

Vice President:

"Our museums are cultural beacons and testaments to our authentic heritage. We want the world to learn about the story of Dubai and its ancient history."

"Dubai has been a meeting place for merchants and those looking for a better life and will remain the beating heart of the world's civilizations culturally and humanly."

Latifa bint Muhammad:

"At the museum, we feel Dubai's ambitious spirit in all its details, and the historical edifice documents the stories of success and achievements in Dubai's journey."

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A suite with more than 80 historic houses.

Dubai Creek Pavilion. The emergence of a city." First of all, every visitor wants to learn about the history of Dubai in a nutshell.

"Contemporary Dubai House" sheds light on the cultural, economic and historical factors that have contributed to the development of Dubai.

Spaces of heritage

Among the houses housed in the Shindagha Museum is the House of Folk Medicine, which provides an overview of the history of traditional medicine, the development of its methods locally, and the uses of medicinal herbs and plants. It displays a model of the first pharmacy in Dubai, and another model of Al Maktoum Hospital, which opened in the fifties of the last century. The Children's House reinterprets the topics covered by Al Shindagha Museum in a seamless and simple way, providing young visitors with a range of individual and group experiences delivered through practical and mental training methodologies.

The Turath Center for Traditional Handicrafts offers an educational space dedicated to local cultural heritage, as it is full of all forms of handicrafts that showcase its development with the aim of preserving heritage and providing the appropriate environment to ensure the sustainability of heritage industries, as one of the sources of diversification of the national economy.

The Turath Center for Traditional Handicrafts offers a series of traditional courses and workshops aimed at spreading the culture of handicrafts among the segments of society, through which it seeks to transmit the secrets of the crafts of Talli, Saf Al-Khoos, Qard Al-Burqa, silversmithing, Dukhoon industry and the craft of sewing clothes to future generations.

The 'Marine Life' pavilion is packed with a range of visual and audio experiences, revealing the details of Dubai's connection to the sea, and its rich and diverse marine environment dating back about 7000,<> years.

The 'Marine Life' pavilion provides an integrated account of Dubai's relationship with the sea and its effects on the emirate's history and societal memory, and sheds light on the manufacture of wooden ships, which is known locally as "Al Qallafa", and is one of the oldest professions in Dubai and the UAE. The pavilion showcases Dubai's rich marine environment, the species of marine life and fish that live in it, and traditional fishing methods, as well as its review of maritime trade routes, as Dubai has been a major station for global trade due to its distinctive geographical location.

The Connect Venue Hall is a space designed to host temporary gatherings, conferences, events and exhibitions, highlighting Dubai's renaissance and development.

Al Shindagha Museum also includes the House of Environment and Society, which showcases the nature of ancient life in the UAE and how its residents were able to deal with the nature of the environment and adapt to it.

The 'House of Traditional Food' offers a glimpse into the customs, traditions and methods of preparing food from the people of Dubai, as the pavilion introduces visitors to the stories behind the famous Emirati dishes. The House of Poetry introduces visitors to Al Shindagha Museum about the place of Arabic and popular poetry in local culture, and offers them a glimpse into the history of poetry in the UAE and the region through a dynamic and inspiring exhibition that illustrates the importance of poetry in Emirati life, as well as the way poetry has highlighted many important political, social, financial and even personal topics.