- Dubai Museum
- Coins Museum
- Naif Museum
- Coffee Museum
- Saruq al Hadid Museum
- Pearl Dubai Museum
- Women’s Museum
- Museum of Illusions
- Al Shindagha Museum
- History of the Cinema Museum
- Dubai Police Museum
- Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House
- Camel Museum
- Al Bastakiya
- Hatta Heritage Village
- Dubai Moving Image Museum
- Salsali Private Museum
- Antique Museum
- 3D World Dubai Trick Art Selfie Museum
- Etihad Museum Dubai
- Museum of the Future
Some Significant Tips to Visit the Museums in Dubai
FAQs
Dubai has been hailed as a modern marvel as well as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world along with its developing infrastructure and industries. You might associate this city with modern marvels or luxurious escapes, but the crowning jewel of the UAE is steeped in culture. There’s no wonder, why Dubai has a lot of museums that are renowned worldwide.
All the museums in Dubai significantly reflects the Islamic traditions and culture that the city has absorbed since inception. Dubai museums are an ideal way to demonstrate the tourists what UAE was original and how the ancient cultures and traditions have molded the city into what it is today.
Here we’re not discussing the drab as well as dull places that many visitors associate with museums. It’s fascinating to know that, all the Dubai museums are engaging, informational, and enjoyable for all ages. The museums vary from the conventional to the quirky.
Why Explore Museums in Dubai?
You might be familiar with many infrastructural developments in Dubai, but you may not be privy to the traditions of Dubai. Once a fishermen’s town, Dubai has grown to become a hub of luxury and opulence.
Till the 1930s, Dubai was known for its pearl trade. In 1833, the modern Dubai became the powerful state that it is when pearl fishers from Abu Dhabi took over Dubai. In this time, the city rose to significance. Dubai city has a lot of historical stories presenting why its important within the economic structure of the UAE. However, visiting the museums of Dubai will help you appreciate the culture and traditions of this amazing city.
So, without any delay we’re going to discuss the most intriguing Dubai museums that’ll make you applaud this city more.
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Dubai Museum
Dubai Museum is one of the most famous museums in Dubai, located in the Al Fahidi neighborhood of Bur Dubai. Three watchtowers flank the top of the defense and the fort functioned as the ruler’s residence. It’s a part of the Dubai Fort, built in 1787, around 200 years ago. The museum looks unremarkable from the outside.
The 4000-square meter museum, Dubai Museum features 3000 years of Gulf history. It indicates the daily life of Dubai before oil was discovered. The museum also gives you a glimpse of history or heritage featuring multiple galleries that recreate mosques, historic local houses, date farms, souks, desert as well as marine life. Dubai Museum throws light on the enchanting history of the city and represents actual weights and scales that were used at the time.
It’s surprising to know that, some of the items showcases at Dubai Museum feature date as far back as 3000 BC. When you enter the museum, a modest courtyard welcomes you. Some old canons, a wooden boat, and an Arish are also here. Arish is the houses built with palm leaves and tree trunks. Moreover, some few galleries also display old weapons and tools in the museum.
The parts of the Dubai museum are located two floors underground. A spiraling ramp will take you to the underground galleries and the key attractions are the dioramas. These life-size dioramas will take you through the daily lives of Arabs. Along with this, there’s also a section solely dedicated to the archeological findings.
Anyhow, the other part of the museum display historical government documents that became significant milestones in the history of Dubai. The entry fee to the museum is very nominal; almost count it as free. Dubai museum is best for walking tours or if you’re visiting with the family.
Location: Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai
Opening hours
- Saturday- Thursday – 8:30 AM- 8:30 PM.
- Friday – 2:30 PM- 8:30 PM
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Coins Museum
Coins museum is one of the interesting museums in Dubai. Like many other historical museums, this Museum is also located in the historical neighborhood in Bur Dubai. The museum is spread over two floors built out of sandalwood, coral, plaster, and even Teakwood. It was opened in 2004 tracing back the origins of Dubai.
The history of the museum through is coins and also uses multimedia to make exhibits interactive. There are 470 rare coins from various historical periods representing the monetary system in different eras. Although museum is small, but it offers a lot of information.
The museum has two-story buildings in the historic neighborhood. All the buildings in this heritage site have mud-colored look because of plaster construction and coral stones. Along with this, there are total eight rooms in the museum with a different theme. The first room curates the history of coinage. Whereas, the others have coins dedicated to different eras and geographical regions. The regions vary from Rashidun Caliphate to Umayyad and Abbasid as well as other Islamic civilizations. You’ll find the coins from Egypt, North Africa, Turkey, as well as Islamic Spain.
Location: Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood
Opening hours: Sunday- Thursday: 8:30 AM- 3:30 PM
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Naif Museum
Naif Museum offers a pure flavor of old Dubai. it was constructed in 1939, detailing the development of the Dubai police force. A lot of people visit this museum to learn about the history of Dubai’s police department. The city’s justice system is also representable. Get to know that how Dubai has transformed itself from an average law enforcement agency into an advanced police force. Moreover, you can also expect to see life-size models along with old police uniforms, artillery displays as well as much more.
Although, it’s a small museum but a well-formed museum displaying the weapons, old police uniforms, original photographs as well as medals awarded to police officers. It housed two showrooms and interactive exhibits.
Location: Sikkath Al Khail Road Naif Opp Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dubai
Opening hours: 08:00AM-3:00PM
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Coffee Museum
Arabian have had a long relationship with coffee. It’s also famous that coffee was their first recreational drink. Arabs were the ones who carried the coffee culture. The coffee word itself has its roots in the word Kava.
So, if you’re a true coffee lover, then the coffee museum could be the perfect place for you. Dubai city houses the largest coffee museum. The museum houses the best collection of antiquities as well as goods indicating domestic as well as international coffee culture. Visitors find various types of coffee presentations in the style of Arabic coffee, Ethiopian coffee, Japanese coffee, Persian coffee, and much more. This huge space inside the elaborately rooms is dedicated to the ancient coffee brewing and drinking artifacts. You’ll see the old rotating rosters, grinders, and pots here.
Just relax, sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee for yourself. Along with this, there’s also visual and audio presentations regarding the coffee and the legends about its origin. Admire see some vintage coffee adverts in German on the walls too. You’ll be surprised to know that, there’s also a small library that adds some historical texts related to coffee. Johann Friedrich Von Pfeiffer’s encyclopedia is also there consisting over 170 pages about coffee.
Location:Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Bur Dubai
Opening hours:Saturday- Thursday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
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Saruq al Hadid Museum
Indicating the artefacts found in one of an important historical site in Dubai, the Saruq Al-Hadid Archaeology Museum was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Saruq al Hadid Museum is a trip back in time, back to the iron age. The museum is considered as one of the richest historical sites in the Arabian, is in the southern region of Dubai at Rub Al Khali desert. It’s inside an old house that once belonged to Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum.
Basically, this location was discovered by the ruler of Dubai in 2002. While flying over the desert, he noticed a particular patch of sand darker than its surroundings. Many of us think, that the history of human in Dubai goes back to thousands of years back. Saruq al Hadid Museum displays life in once desolate desert, as early as the third millennium BCE.
It’s interesting to know that Saruq al Hadid Museum uses cutting-edge technologies in order to narrate the past. A lot of immersive and informative video and audio presentations attracts the visitor’s attention. Located in the Shindagha district, the archaeological museum displays utensils, animal bones, metal brooches and jeweler in multiple rooms dedicated to the settlement on which the city was built.
Apart from the art galleries, the museum also allows to have a hands-on archeology experience. Roll up your sleeves and dig up artifacts out of dirt, a favorite activity for the kids. Even now, a lot of things are still unearthed. So, the museum’s display is reorganized every three months.
- Location:Shindagha, Bur Dubai
- Opening hours: Saturday- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
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Pearl Dubai Museum
The Pearl museum is what every woman would want to visit. Located on the 15th floor of Emirates NDB Office in Deira, the Pearl Museum is adjacent to the Imperial Hotel Apartment. As we all know that Dubai was the land of gold and pearls, but it became known as a gold trading hub. Arabian pearls were fabled, but when the artificial pearls equipment took over, pearl diving trade faded out.
Peral museum showcases the world’s rarest pearls. Dazzling and magnificent beads, as well as the extravagant pieces of jewelry act of paying gratitude and recognition. However, the pearl museum in Dubai shows all the equipment used for pearl diving in the past, ranging from dhows to diver’s gears. An informative presentation of the various types of pearl beds in the shallow waters attracts the visitor’s attention.
The Pearl museum offers extensive information regarding the pearls. The price of the peals is according to color, luster, shape, weight, as well as size. The Pearl Museum charges no entry fees. However, there’s need to book an appointment for the Museum from the Emirates NDB office in Dubai. The museum’s main gallery is protected by a high-security glass window and the pearls are displayed beneath the array of bright lights. Late Sultan Ali Al Owais, was the one who donated his private pearl collection. His father was a wealthy pearl trader from the tribe in Sharjah.
Location:Emirates NBD Headquarters, Deira
Opening hours:Every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Dubai Women’s Museum
Keep in consideration, women have played a significant role in shaping the UAE by being on the frontline of politics, art forms, humanitarian efforts, and education. A trip to Women museum in Dubai museum was initially a private house constructed in the 1950s allowing you see the sculpting of Emirati society.
Women’s Museum is a cultural effort in the Arab World. It’s the best place to learn about as well as appreciate the lives of UAE women. It’s a kind of gathering place where people connect and celebrate the achievements of UAE women. The Women’s Museum Dubai allow you explore UAE society through the lives of women, highlighting the different roles.
Conventional jewelry, fabrics, as well as photographs of art pieces and writings are on display in the museum. Moreover, there’s also a gift shop to buy traditional attars, gifts, or other trinkets.
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Museum of Illusions
The Museum of Illusions in Dubai offers some of the best collections of optical and sensory illusions. This is an entirely different museum located in Bur Dubai Al Seef near the Creek. there’s a great need to know that, the Museum of Illusions is one of the such museums by the world-renowned museum chains, but in Dubai, it’s the biggest of all others.
The exhibits aim entertain as well as confuse your senses while being educational and featuring over 80 interactive exhibits. There are programs play throughout the day.
Some of the main highlights in this museum are the Slanted room, Ames room, as well as the Vortex Tunnel. Along with this, you can also play bigger or smaller than your friend in the Ames Room. The vortex tunnel deceives the mind with visual effects. Therefore, if you’re visiting with little ones, the Museum of Illusions Dubai is the place to be.
Along with this, there’re multiple Instagram-worthy spots here and all of them are going to be exciting. Add a bit of creativity to the mix making it more entertaining. Hence, they’ll also provide you with a scientific explanation for the illusion.
So, be be prepared to get entertained, confused as well as completely blown away because you’re going to imagine the unimaginable things. Make sure you visit the Museum of Illusions and have camera with enough space to capture all the fun you will have. Furthermore, by buying the Dilemma Games, you’ll take home a great experience in order to get a sense of discovery and wonder.
Location: Al Seef, Bur Dubai
Opening hours:
- Sunday- Wednesday: 10:00 AM- 10:00 PM
- Thursday- Saturday from 10:00- to 12:00 AM
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Al Shindagha Museum
If you really want to have a glimpse of what the city of gold represents as well as where the future of Dubai is headed, Al Shindagha Museum could be the right place for you. The Museum was opened in 2019, making it a part of changing the face of the old Dubai. The first phase of the museum is completed and open for the public. Once the project is finished, it’ll become a cluster of 23 galleries.
Its fascinating to know that, Al Shindagha Museum takes the visitors through their past talking about the city’s dedication to openness thinking. This museum is significantly dedicated to bringing the culture of Dubai to the forefront. The Museum is best for learning more about the past of Dubai.
People also call it the “Windows of Dubai” offering glimpses of the past and future of the city’s growth. Augmented reality and state-of-the-art technologies offer the tourists with a different experience.
Shindagha Museum includes multiple exhibition houses. Such as, Governance and Society’ indicate the growth of modern Dubai, and Creativity and Wellbeing indicate the traditional arts. The Shindaga Museum, located next to the House of Sheikh Saeed Ibn Al Maktoum also includes a 28 Kg piece of Oud.
Location:Al Shindagha, Bur Dubai
Opening hours:
- Saturday- Thursday: 10:00 AM- 6:00 PM (Except Tuesdays)
- Frida: 2:30 PM- 9:00 PM
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History of the Cinema Museum
There are very few museums dedicated to the history and development of cinema, History of Cinema Museum in Dubai is one of them. The Museum is located near the Sheikh Zayed Road, built with the image collection of the 1730s.
The museum showcases the history of moving pictures that that are old more than 30,000 years when people tried recreating movements with shadows. This museum is one of the fascinating places to visit with your kids.
Get a comprehensive look at the history of cinema and explore the tools used in different periods to recreate images. The collections in the museum represents the history of shadow play, pinhole cameras, magic lanterns, peep boxes, and stereoscopic images. It details the progression of modern animation.
Keep in consideration, the relics housed in this museum are the personal collection of the Arab businessman Akram Miknas. The History of Cinema Museum is on the first floor of a typical building in Dubai. Visitors can also interact with the items. Enjoy a life-like pictures through stereoscopes. Furthermore, there’s also a gift shop in the museum in order to buy movie memorabilia related to filmmaking.
Location:1st Floor, MCN Hive Building, Al Barsha, Dubai, UAE
Opening hours: Saturday- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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Dubai Police Museum
Dubai police museum is relatively a small but outstanding museum, a part of Police Academy. You must visit this place of you’re interested into the city’s super police force. The Museum was founded on 19th November 1987, known for showcasing the development of the Dubai Police Force.
Apart from the vehicles in its entrance, the police museum houses a lot of captivating displays portraying the commendable achievements and unparalleled progress of the Dubai Police. The museum features old photographs, weapons, vintage equipment, exhibits, and many other hand- made things on view.
Location: Umm Suqeim, Dubai
Opening hours: 8.00 AM- 8.00 PM
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Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House
The museum holds most importance in the history of the city. Al Maktoum family is the ruling family lived in this house until 1958. Later on, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum was the last ruler in this place. After the family moved to other home, this place was converted into a museum. It is located in Al Shindagha.
The artefacts here depict the life of the monarch family. You can also see the glimpses of the evolution of the city at Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, the popular museum in Dubai. See the important historic photos of the royal family. There’s also a royal collection of coins, stamps, and jewelry etc. The building’s architecture is simple but it’s majestic as the lives of the past royal inhabitants.
So, if you’re interested about learning the life of the royal family and how it changed in the last century, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum could be the right place for you.
Location:House of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum’s House, Dubai creek
Opening hours:8:00 AM- 8:30 PM; Friday: 3:00 PM- 8:30 PM
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Camel Museum
We all know that UAE is known for its fondness for camels. The Dubai museum was significantly constructed to indicate the rich history of the human-animal bond in the region. The museum was once managed by Sheiks in the past, it is a good example of a museum where technology, history as well as heritage fuse together.
The inimitable role of camels in the age-old Arab culture and heritage, the camle museum is museum is located in a former horse stable. It was built-in the 1940s, previously called Beit Al Rekab/ Camel House. Now, it is elegantly restored serving as an interesting, one-stop destination in order to know everything about camels. Live camel races also take place here and you can also get to know the unique characteristics and history of the camels.
Location: Al Shandagha Historical District, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Opening hours: 8:00 AM- 2:00PM
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Al Bastakiya
Al Bastakiya, located in Al Hamriya, Bur Dubai is giving an immense information about the historic neighbourhood of Dubai. A visit to Al Bastakiya means sharing the same walking space as the Bedouins when Dubai was a trading junction. A small boat will take you to this oldest area where you’ll walk in beautiful alleys as well as see houses made of mud and coral.
If you are an art lover, The Majlis Gallery in Al Bastakiya will be a wondrous experience for you. Explore the traditional wind towers that were used for cooling systems in the past. Don’t miss to eat date cake, Arabic tea and a middle-eastern meal at the of the amazing cafes strewn over the village. Get to know the life of people before the existence of skyscrapers, this museum in Dubai is a must-visit.
Location: Al Hamriya, Bur Dubai, Dubai
Opening hours: 9 AM – 6 PM
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Hatta Heritage Village
The mountain hamlet of Hatta is a natural haven, untouched by Dubai’s glitz. It’s a living museum stepping back to you in the past. Located in the rugged peaks of the Hajjar Mountains, Hatta is complexed and oldest of its kind in the region. Hatta Heritage Village tell a strong history of around2000-3000 years. It was renewed as well as initiated for the tourists in 2001. The tourists get an amazing impression of this mountainous area of Hatta.
You’ll explore the ancient structures such as forts, two castles, mosques, traditional huts, and watchtower that are beautifully reinstated to its original state. The buildings have original tools, weapons, and furniture with some model compositions in order to illustrate the story.
Location: Hatta Area, Dubai
Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 8:30 PM
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Dubai Moving Image Museum
If you are looking for a visual feast, indicating the history of modern-day theatre, this museum will be a more than pleasure for you. Imagine watching a film on a 17th-century Dutch peep box viewer as well as rotating the cinema reels in order to see the images. Dubai moving image museum is located off Sheikh Zayed Road.
Enjoy this fantastic experience that cinema buffs offer at the History of Cinema Museum. Basically, a private collection dedicated to the evolution of moving pictures and the equipment used for shooting and viewing from the time of silent films era till virtual reality technologies. There’s also a quaint gift box allow you pick up film memorabilia’s as well as miniature cameras.
The museum also has a combination of shadow play, magic lanterns, cinematography, and modern animation.
Location: MCN Hive, 1st floor, TECOM C, Dubai.
Opening hours: 11:00 PM- 6:00 PM (except Friday)
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Salsali Private Museum
The SPM or Salsali Private Museum is the first private museum for both contemporary as well as historical Middle Eastern art in Dubai. Ramin Salsali was an Iranian national who started collecting 900 works of art just at the age of 21, and founded the museum in 2011. SPM is located on Alserkal Avenue, showcasing the historical paintings, embroidery, textiles, pottery, photography, metallurgy, and carvings by some of the most renowned Middle Eastern artists. You’ll also admire the work of collector lounge where emerging and established collectors are available. Entrance to the museum is free.
Location: Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai
Opening hours: 11.00 AM- 6.00 PM
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Antique Museum
Antique museum is more than a museum in Dubai. it’s is a massive antique bazaar to admire traditional Emirati artworks and handicrafts. Traversing through the narrow maze-like walkways is not just enjoyable but also leads you towards the way to buy some traditional jewelry, attars, dresses, sand artworks, furniture, textiles, herbs, spices, oils, etc. its fascinating to know that, the shopkeepers are friendly and their purchases to charities. The bazaar allow you cherish some of the traditional Middle Eastern dishes and drinks, that you must try on your viist.
Location: 19 12 B Street Al Quoz Area, Dubai.
Timings: 9:00 AM- 8:30 PM
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3D World Dubai Trick Art Selfie Museum
Although, Dubai has a lot of one-of-a-kind museums, but nothing can beat the uniqueness of the 3D World Dubai Trick Art Selfie Museum. It’s one of the the best museum in Dubai to fulfill all the selfie needs. Many museums don’t allow you to use your mobile phone but, here, the 3D World Dubai Trick Art Selfie Museum encourages you to use a selfie phone in order to take your photos.
3D World Dubai Trick Art Selfie Museum allow you indulge yourself in creativity and imagination. This quirky museum has 9 different zones that are humor, illusion, horror, jungle, fantasy, and many more. Trick artwork and optical illusions are sprinkled throughout the zones.
Most of the exhibits in the museum are hand painted. Many of them reveal some kind of optical illusion. The staff will help you come up with poses for selfies that you can be drawing up blanks! Embrace the hand-painted illusions and create some unforgettable memories with more than 185 3D paintings. Exploring this museum is the weirdest version of yourself at 3D World Museum in Dubai.
Location: Behind Mashreq Bank, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Al Quoz 4, Dubai
Opening hours: 10:00 AM- 8:00PM
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Etihad Museum Dubai
Are you curious about how the seven emirates look if unified into a single federation? The Etihad Museum in Dubai is the best place to learn about the unification story of the UAE. It’s interesting to know that, the museum has dedicated itself to becoming the source of history offering a unique visitor experience. Etihad’ means ‘Union’.
The Etihad Museum allow you explore the captivating history of the UAE as well as the extraordinary economic development since its independence in 1971. The best thing regarding this museum is, it is located where the union house was. The magnificent structure of the museum was designed by Moriyama and Teshima.
The museum is built in a curved shape, an inspiration by the UAE’s constitution. Along with this, the structure features seven columns that symbolize the pens to sign the national union agreement. The whole museum is covers 25,000 square meters area as well as divided into several pavilions housing many exhibits.
Etihad Museum also has an education center, a temporary exhibition hall, a library and restaurant. The programs held there, aim to educate visitors. We can also say that, The Etihad Museum is an icon of modern architecture in Dubai.
Etihad museum also takes you on a journey through the modern history via photographs, documentaries, as well as artifacts. Anyone can visit and explore this place for free.
Location: Jumeirah Street
Opening hours: Daily:10:00 AM – 08:00 PM
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Museum of the Future
The Museum of the future is one of the first names in the list of best museums in Dubai. It’s not a typical museum, where ancient artefacts are hidden behind velvet ropes. The Museum of the Future is a portal to a future world. It is created by forward-thinking designers, artists, as well as filmmakers.
The building is an engineering and architectural marvel, as this museum has received an award before it was opened. The museum of the future was inaugurated on 22nd February, 2022 by Sheikh Muhammed and is dedicated to showing the visitors innovations. Know about the technology and what you can really expect from the future world.
The museum of future look like a giant eye, to be more specific, it is like a torus with calligraphy. The exterior of the Museum is a canvas for three quotes by Sheikh Mohammed. Along with this, the museum of the future also incorporates exhibitions, themed attractions, as well as immersive theater. Each floor in the museum is like a futuristic movie set up. Moreover, they also have a space flight simulator, you can take few pictures for your Instagram feed. The exhibition simulates the effects of global warming.
Location: Sheikh Zayed Rd, Trade Centre, Trade Centre 2, Dubai
Opening hours: 10:00AM- 6:00PM
Some Significant Tips to Visit the Museums in Dubai
- In order to visit Dubai’s museums, as well as the famous districts of Deira and Al Bastakia, guided walk tours are an ideal choice. The local guides will show you the hidden gems of the city allowing allow you to discover more about local culture traditions of the city
- Hop On Hop Off bus service is the best way to get around Dubai’s top attractions and museums. The bus routes connect all of Dubai’s top sights and allow you explore the easily.
- In order to save up to 50% on tickets and transportation, check unlimited Dubai passes and enjoy Dubai to the fullest, without breaking your bank.
- Follow the rules as mentioned on the museums. If there’s mentioned not to take pictures, obey the rules.
FAQs
How many museums are there in Dubai?
Dubai city is home to around 22 fascinating museums.
What are the best museums in Dubai?
The museum of the future, the Pearl Museum, and the History of Cinema Museum, are considered among the best museums.
What are the best museums for science?
The Museum of illusion and the Museum of the Future are two fantastic science museums in for a scientific experience of a lifetime.
Which one is the biggest museum in Dubai?
The Dubai Museum is considered as the biggest museum in Dubai.
What are top three famous museums in Dubai?
Although every museum in Dubai offers a unique experience, the Etihad Museum, the Museum of The Future, and Dubai museums are top three famous museums in Dubai.
Are Dubai museums free?
Yes, most of the museums in Dubai are free to visit.
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