All about the Etihad Museum in Dubai
The UAE is a country with a rich history and the Etihad Museum in Dubai is a great place to visit if you want to learn about it. The modern museum which spans over 25,000 sq. m. is a 21st-century ode to the past, complete with interactive exhibitions telling the story of how this country came to be and pictures of founding fathers. If you are planning a visit to this remarkable attraction soon here is a complete guide on the Etihad Museum ticket cost, location, pavilions and all other relevant details.
ETIHAD MUSEUM EXHIBITS
The Etihad Museum offers its visitors a unique journey to the past by focusing on a chronology of landmark events between 1968 and 1974, that eventually lead to the unification of the Emirates in 1971. There are a total of 10 exhibitions in the Etihad Museum that escort you through the journey of the UAE’s founding fathers and how they brought together the seven emirates. Here is a brief look at each of these Etihad Museum displays and exhibits.
SECTION 1 – THE FOUNDERS
The first grand exhibition at the museum which you will be welcomed to, is the majestic picture gallery of all the Founding Fathers of the UAE. Each picture is accompanied by an interactive screen that illustrates their biographies and a glass encasing with a few of their belongings. This is considered a special exhibit at the Etihad Museum as visitors get a personal and first-hand look and at their life through never before seen pictures and videos of the rulers.
SECTION 2 – DREAMS OF UNITY
The second section of the museum offers visitors a mesmerising special effects display. Through imagery and music, this exhibit outlines the story of the Union and other major events that took place during the foundation of the UAE.
SECTION 3 – UAE INTERACTIVE MAP
Before the unification of the seven emirates, the country was dived into the Trucial States. As visitors move from Section 1 and 2 of this museum, there is an interactive map of the UAE that offers a panoramic view of the country before the union of the emirates took place. Visitors can also activate informative videos and audios of key events in the history of UAE as they explore this map.
SECTION 4 – THE EARLY YEARS
This is one of the smaller exhibits at the museum, but a very informative one. It’s an interactive screen with videos and audio that showcases the many negotiations that took place with the neighbouring Arab countries and with the foreign countries.
SECTION 5 – ROAD TO UNIFICATION
Just as the name of this exhibit states, this is where visitors can see all the major steps that took place in the foundation of the UAE. It details all the line-up of events through an illustration of an irrigation canal. This irrigation canal is chronologically divided into three sections, each with information about historical events like the formation of the Trucial Council and more.
SECTION 6 – SEEDS OF UNITY
The next exhibition visitors get to explore at the Etihad Museum is called the Seeds of Unity. Over here, an extraordinary 3D visual displays how Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan meets his compatriot and fellow leader, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum at Sayh Al-Sadira. The technology used here makes it seem like the two rulers are actually present in the room!
SECTION 7 – CHANGE AND UNIFICATION
In this exhibit, visitors get to play a game. All they need to do is reveal the encrypted messages by aligning a total of seven cubes with the interactive screens in the room. Each of these cubes represents a unique theme and reveal information and pictures relating to that theme.
SECTION 8 – UNIFYING THE EMIRATES
This is the exhibit you should explore if you want to learn about the challenges the founding fathers faced before 1971, through a series of photographs and audio messages. Museum-goers get to see all the formal and informal meetings that took place to establish the unity of the nation.
SECTION 9 – THE CONSTITUTION
Another one of the remarkable exhibits at the Etihad Museum is, of course, the display of the UAE’s constitution, signed by the Founding Governors. Both Arabic and English copies of the UAE’s constitution are available for viewing here. The Treaty of Friendship between the UAE and the United Kingdom signed by Sheikh Zayed on the same day he announced the establishment of the Federation of the United Arab Emirates is also present here.
SECTION 10- UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – ONE NATION, ONE FUTURE
The last section at the museum is an open exhibition hall that has interactive screens with educational material which visitors can explore to gain interesting insights such as the development of the unified UAE passports. It also gives a summary of the Union – it’s past, present and future.
OTHER ETIHAD MUSEUM ATTRACTIONS FACILITIES
Apart from all the amazing exhibitions, the Etihad Museum also houses numerous other attractions and facilities.
If visitors venture outdoors they can see the Union House, Union Flag and the Guest Palace. Each of these attractions at the Etihad Museum Dubai reflects an important piece of the UAE’s history.
The Union House is the original birthplace of the UAE and The Union Flag is where the Founding Governors gathered after they signed the treaty. As for the Guest Palace, it houses Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s Majlis, his private office and a dining room that has a seating capacity of 300 people.
Some of the facilities at Etihad Museum include a classroom, auditorium, multi-purpose hall and a temporary exhibition hall. Apart from that, the museum also has a library, coffee shop and gift shop that visitors can explore.
ETIHAD MUSEUM TICKETS
You can enter as an individual or as a group when visiting the museum. However, the Etihad Museum ticket cost will be cheaper if you travel in a group. Here is the breakdown Dubai Etihad Museum entry fees.
- Adult: AED 25
- Group: AED 20
- Student: AED 10
- Kids under five and People of Determination have free entry to the Etihad Museum.
If you want to buy an Etihad Museum entry ticket you can do so online or directly at the desk.
ETIHAD MUSEUM DUBAI LOCATION
The Etihad Museum in Dubai is located at 1 Jumeirah Street, across 2nd December street. You can find it right at the foot of the massive Union Flag in Jumeirah. The Al Hudaiba Awards Building, which is located right opposite is another major landmark close to this museum in Jumeirah.
The best way to get to this location is by car or taxi. If you take your car, there are plenty of spaces in the Etihad Museum parking lot.
As for those travelling by public transportation, the Al Jafaliya stop on the Dubai Metro red line is the closest metro station to the Jumeirah Etihad Museum. However, you will need to cab it from there.
ETIHAD MUSEUM DUBAI TIMINGS AND CONTACT
The Etihad Museum operation hours are daily from 10:00 am – 08:00 pm.
To get more information about the details mentioned, you can contact the museum’s team by calling them on +971-4 515-5771 or emailing them on etihad.museum@dubaiculture.ae
That concludes this guide on the Etihad Museum. We hope you found this helpful. Which other attraction in Dubai would you like us to cover next? Let us know in the comments below!
There are many more museums across the city you can visit to learn about the history of Dubai and the UAE. Find out about them all with this complete list of museums in Dubai.
