Everything you need to know about Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi is one of the oldest parks in the capital. Originally known as Mushrif Park, Umm Al Emarat Park enjoys a prime location on the 15th Street between Karamah Street and Airport Road, the latter of which connects to the whole city.
The park is designed to honour His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE. A conservationist at heart, Abu Dhabi’s former ruler worked tirelessly on preserving the environment and species native to the UAE. As a testament to his legacy, this famous public park in Abu Dhabi features everything from botanical gardens to an animal barn and acres of lush green foliage.
Here are a few things you need to know about Umm al Emarat park in Abu Dhabi.
Things to Note
The best thing about this park? It’s open every day. The Umm Al Emarat park Abu Dhabi entry fee and location are mentioned below:
- Opening Hours: 08:00 am to 12:00 am
- Ticket price: AED 10 per adult | Free for kids under three
- Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi location: 15th Street, Mushrif Area, Karama — Abu Dhabi— UAE
- Pets Allowed: No
The park is expansive. We recommend getting your hands on one of the Umm Al Emarat maps to find your way through the many attractions.
Naturally, no park is complete without family-friendly attractions. Let’s explore all the exciting things to do in Umm Al Emarat Park that make it the perfect choice for families.
Top Attractions at Umm Al Emarat Park
There is something for everyone at Abu Dhabi Umm Al Emarat Park. From exotic animal species to theatrical performances, here is what you can look forward to during a visit.
The Amphitheatre
The amphitheater is one of the top attractions at Umm al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi. You may you can watch live cultural dances, music performances, plays, community theatre performances and even movies or sporting event screenings. The grassy area in front can accommodate up to 2,500 people, so popular performances are sure to be a blast.
Children’s Garden
Umm Al Emarat Park was specifically designed with young visitors in mind. So, it’s not surprising that there is an entire area that’s dedicated to them. The Children’s Garden features an interactive play area where kids are free to explore and let their imagination run wild. The management has also set up an outdoor cinema with popular animated films for kids to enjoy.
Animal Barn and Petting Zoo
The Children’s Garden is also home to the animal barn and petting zoo — one of the many petting zoos in Abu Dhabi. Rest assured, your kids or the animal lover in you is pretty much going to make a beeline for it. The area is well-managed and popular with kids and parents alike.
Plus, it provides everyone with a great opportunity to interact with their favorite animals from cows and goats to camels — all of whom have a dedicated team of caretakers to ensure that they stay healthy. The animals are rotated on a regular basis depending on seasonal changes, so you get a new experience every few months. Plus, you can also feed them for AED 10.
The Shade House
Umm Al Emarat Park is all about the preservation of species. To satisfy the conservationist in you, head to the Shade House. This breath-taking structure is one of the park’s most iconic features. It houses over 30 plant species and is temperature controlled to help them thrive in an open environment.
Botanic Gardens
If you have a penchant for exotic plants, the Botanic Garden should be on your list of things to do at Umm Al Emarat Park. Apart from 200 local species and a pond, the garden features plants from Latin America, Africa, Australia and the United States. Cascading waters and stone pools provide the perfect habitat for these exotic species and give a natural look to the place too.
Great Lawn
What is it about an expanse of sprawling grass that just makes you want to run through it? Aptly named, the Great Lawn is one of the most serene places to visit in Umm Al Emarat Park. A wide commanding space, this lawn is perfect for a wide range of outdoor activities; from a game of tag to yoga sessions. It’s one of the reasons why Umm Al Emarat Park is considered among the most relaxing places in Abu Dhabi.
Park Rangers Workshops
Do your kids love to play make-believe? Turn them into their favourite characters at these workshops. Have fun with face painting and origami sessions.
Aside from these, kids can also indulge in a fun train ride or splash around at the interactive water fountains at Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi.
Fitness Facilities
You don’t have to skip on your daily workouts to visit the park, thanks to outdoor and indoor fitness facilities. The former is known as Peak Fitness. And you can find the outdoor training area located behind the Children’s Garden. There are also plenty of jogging tracks.
School Tours
Field trips are a great way for schools to provide students exposure to new environments and gain experiences from outside the classroom. Umm Al Emarat Park offers school tours to primary, secondary and senior school years.
Each package is designed according to the main aspects of each curriculum.
Package 1 for Primary Schools
Based on primary education, this package focuses on:
- Animals of the Park: Kids learn about the history of different animals and how they adapt.
- Life in the Desert: Learning is based on the conditions and survival in harsh deserts as well as its history.
- Desert and Plants: Students learn about how different species of plants thrive in the desert.
The price per student for primary schools is AED 40.
Package 2 for Middle Schools
Based on the middle school curriculum, this package focuses on:
- Plant Adaptation: Insights on plant adaptation and the importance of plant species in the ecosystem.
- Hospitality: Based on nomadic lifestyles, their hospitality and adaptation
- Sustainability: How human intervention affects environments or climates and how we rely on natural systems.
The park charges AED 50 per student for middle school tours.
Package 3 for Senior Schools
This package focuses on senior school curriculums. The tour includes:
- Wisdom Garden: This tour is based on the history of His Highness, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
- Measuring Ecosystems: Tour is based around the complex biology of ecosystems and environmental management.
Charges for senior school tours are AED 60 per students.
For more information, refer to the following details:
- Email Address: info@ummalemaratpark.ae
- Contact number for school tours in Umm Al Emarat Park: +971-2-666-9559
Apart from these exciting attractions, there are also several events organised in Umm Al Emarat Park like Korea Festival. Periodic Umm Al Emarat markets are held regularly as well.
Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi Restaurants
All that activity is bound to make kids and the rest of your family hungry. The park has this covered too. Here are the restaurants that are currently operating at Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi:
- Parker’s
- Salt
- Sugar Art
- Movenpick Ice Cream
- Green for Life
- Home Bakery
Umm al Emarat Park Rules
The staff at Umm al Emarat Park strives to provide a safe and comfortable environment to visitors. Here are some of the rules on Umm Al Emarat Park that you should be aware of:
- Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-transferrable. The ticket price does not include charges for additional events held at the park.
- Parcels and other forms of baggage may be subject to security checks and the park reserves the right to disallow any baggage as necessary
- The grounds are monitored by CCTV security
- For organised events and commercial photography at the park, prior approval is required from park management
- Asides from water bottles for small children, outside food isn’t allowed
- The park reserves the right to change operating hours, close all or part of it or cancel any event due to bad weather or special events without refund or compensation as necessary.
- Guests are not allowed to tamper, remove or damage any plant, structure, park furniture, accessories or any other item in the park
- Only bikes and scooters for small children under seven are allowed in the park. Hoverboards, skateboards, roller skates and other forms of entertainment aren’t allowed.
- Anyone caught cooking food, like grilling or barbecuing, will immediately be fined.
- Pets aren’t allowed except assistance dogs
Additionally, the park is a non-smoking venue. So, any forms of the type, including e-cigarettes, shisha or others are strictly prohibited.
Accolades and Awards
Umm Al Emarat Park was granted the prestigious Green Flag award; an internationally acclaimed accolade that recognises best practices for the management of parks or green spaces. An 80+ score from the Green Flag Award Scheme also contributed to the win.
FAQs
Is Umm Al Emarat Park free?
No, but the fee is affordable for a family at AED 10 per visitor. Plus kids under the age of three can enter for free. It’s also among the most romantic places in Abu Dhabi.
Can you bring food to Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi?
No, unless it is from the eateries in the park.
So there you have it. A visit to Umm Al Emarat Park Abu Dhabi is a good option whether you are looking for a leisurely day out with the family or an educational outing with the kids. Looking for more options? Check out the best public parks in Abu Dhabi and the best parks in Al Ain. For more options, take a look at some of our top picks for best parks in Dubai. And if you really want to cool off from the summer heat, you can also take your family to any of the UAE’s popular waterparks.
Cover image credit: Umm Al Emarat Park
