Zayed National Museum to open in 2021 and put UAE history on the world stage
A new video showing work on the Zayed National Museum – due to open in 2021 – revealed major progress at the site.
Construction is well under way on Saadiyat Island where an army of workers is building the long-awaited national museum of the UAE.
The new video, released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in the past few days, also gives a sneak preview of what visitors can expect inside the building.
The Zayed National Museum was designed by acclaimed UK architects, Foster and Partners. A striking part of the building is a cluster of five steel towers that soar into the sky – some to 123 metres – that evoke the wings of a falcon.
Video footage shows a cavernous atrium of beautiful stone and curves. Natural light floods the building through the five falcon towers.
News of the museum’s firm opening date came during a site visit by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, about a week ago.
Construction ramped up several months ago and scores of cranes now tower over the 44,000-square metre site adjacent to Louvre Abu Dhabi, while the distinctive imprint of the towers – designed to draw cool air through the building – is visible from the air. One impressive photograph shows the museum emerging from the sands against the backdrop of the Abu Dhabi skyline.
“Construction is under way on Zayed National Museum which will narrate the story of the late Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE and highlight the history of the region and its cultural connections with countries around the world,” the department said.
The Zayed National Museum – first announced in 2007 – is the second of three major museums in Saadiyat’s Cultural District. Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in 2017. Work on the Guggenheim has yet to start.
Two galleries on the ground floor represent the heart of the museum. They detail Sheikh Zayed’s life, how the UAE was formed and showcase its rich natural resources.
On the first floor, four podshaped galleries suspended over the main atrium will take people on a trip through the history of the UAE and starts with the first arrival of people to oases hundreds of thousands of years ago. The base of the falcon towers will offer a unique view of Saadiyat, while a garden will link the museum to the sea and other parts of the island.
Officials remain tight-lipped about the museum’s collections but we have an idea.
The oldest pearl in the world, found on Marawah Island last year, is part of the collection. Another item is a stunning necklace given by Sheikh Zayed to Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum when she visited Abu Dhabi in 1971. Both pieces are on temporary display at Louvre Abu Dhabi as part of the 10,000 Years of Luxury exhibition.
“The [Zayed National Museum] permanent galleries will display national collections alongside loans from leading world museums,” the department said. “Special exhibitions will make it a vibrant part of the national, regional and international cultural scene.”
The museum was slated to open in 2012. From 2009 to 2017, teams worked with the British Museum to develop its collection and staff training.
A striking part of the building will be a cluster of five steel towers that soar into the sky, evoking the wings of a falcon