Zayed National Museum Opens in Abu Dhabi as UAE's National Museum

According to a press release issued by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi on December 5, 2025, the Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates, has opened to the public in the Saadiyat Cultural District.

The museum stands as a monument honoring the legacy of the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE. Featuring six permanent galleries with over 1,500 archaeological artifacts and historical objects, the museum chronicles 300,000 years of history, from the earliest traces of human habitation to the present day. The building was designed by Lord Norman Foster, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect.

The opening marks the culmination of an unprecedented "Year of Culture" for the UAE, which has also seen the inauguration of teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, as well as the reopening of Al Ain Museum. Through December 31, the museum will host a diverse program of events under the theme "Deep Roots and Everlasting Legacy," including traditional dance performances, an immersive gahwa (coffee) experience, and poetry recitals.