The "Al Shindagha" Museum, the largest heritage museum in the UAE, is one of Dubai's most important cultural landmarks. It features a collection of artifacts, displayed items, stories, and old photographs that document the origins of Dubai, the nation, and its culture, making the museum a window through which we can view Dubai's illustrious past.
Located in the historic Al Shindagha district, the museum successfully attracted 1,167,197 visitors during the first half of this year, according to reports from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The museum takes its visitors on an extraordinary journey through its exceptional pathways, featuring around 22 pavilions spread across more than 80 houses, showcasing the traditional way of life in Dubai from the mid-19th century to the 1970s.
Managed by Dubai Culture, the museum provides visitors with a variety of rich and comprehensive experiences through its diverse pavilions and specialized sections, including:
- **Dar Al Maktoum**: Built in 1896, "Dar Al Maktoum" is one of the most significant pavilions in the museum. It is a unique historical monument that houses the rich heritage of the ruling family in Dubai, showcasing key historical events over the past decades. It presents numerous historical documents, official letters, agreements, decrees related to Dubai, and collections belonging to the Al Maktoum sheikhs.
- **House of Perfumes**: The "House of Perfumes" explores the culture and development of perfumes in connection with Dubai. It offers visitors the chance to discover some of the ingredients used in creating Emirati perfumes, such as mukhallat, frankincense, oud, jasmine oil, and camphor. It features over 70 artifacts, including a 3,000-year-old incense burner discovered at the Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site in Dubai.
- **Marine Life Pavilion**: This pavilion focuses on the history of marine life in Dubai, including fishing and diving trips to harvest pearls. It displays a variety of traditional fishing tools and equipment, as well as maps of pearl-diving locations. The pavilion also provides a comprehensive narrative of Dubai’s relationship with the sea and its impacts on the emirate’s history.
- **House of Traditional Foods**: This house showcases the history of Emirati cuisine and shares intriguing stories about the most important local dishes, highlighting the differences based on Dubai's coastal, mountainous, and desert environments. It offers visitors various Emirati recipes while introducing them to community customs and traditions related to meal consumption and the importance of gratitude for sustenance.
- **Children's Pavilion**: The children's pavilion offers a unique educational and entertaining experience for youngsters through interactive activities and workshops aimed at enhancing national identity and teaching them about the history and heritage of the UAE in simple and enjoyable ways. It includes interactive displays and educational games that help children understand Emirati heritage and culture in an engaging manner.
Furthermore, Acting Director of Al Shindagha Museum, Abdullah Al Obaidly, stated: "The Al Shindagha Museum is located in the historic Al Shindagha district, which comprises over 162 old houses. It boasts a strategic location on Dubai Creek and includes 80 houses that showcase the history of Dubai and the Emirates' culture using the latest display techniques and innovative interactive educational tools."
He added that more than 100 community members participated in building the museum, contributing their collections, stories, and memories, highlighting the museum's role in supporting cultural tourism, which represents a vital economic resource due to the diversity of the emirate's landmarks and heritage sites.
