This International Museum Day, visitors can enjoy free entry to all Abu Dhabi museums and cultural institutions, alongside hands-on workshops, live performances, and guided tours across the emirate.
Held under this year’s theme, ‘Museums Uniting a Divided World’, the initiative highlights the role museums play in bringing communities together, encouraging dialogue, and promoting cultural understanding.
Residents and visitors will be able to explore a wide range of attractions across Abu Dhabi, including sites in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Al Ain, and Delma Island. Entry is free from May 16 to 18, Abu Dhabi Culture said on their website.
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Here’s what you can expect at libraries and cultural venues on International Museum Day:
1. Natural History Museum
Saadiyat Cultural District
16-18 May | Free Entry
Visitors can explore the wonders of the natural world through hands-on science and creative workshops at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. Here are some of the activities visitors can take part in:
Build a Mini Exhibit: Step into the role of a curator and create your own miniature exhibition.You can step into the role of a curator and create your own miniature exhibition.
Sun Printing Activity: Harness the power of sunlight to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind prints using natural materials.
Light Lab: Step into a world of colour and light as participants experiment with transparent materials to create layered visual effects.
Wiggly Creatures Workshop: Get imaginative with craft materials to create moving, expressive creatures inspired by the natural world.
2. Louvre Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Cultural District
16-18 May | Free Entry
You can join free thematic tours exploring the permanent galleries and the Picasso Exhibition. Architecture Experience and Art in Scents olfactory tours are available Saturdays only at an additional cost.
Time: 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM
They also have Children’s Workshops for free, between 11am and 3pm.
3. Zayed National Museum
Saadiyat Cultural District
16-18 May | 10 AM-8 PM | Free Entry
Visitors can spend the weekend exploring the stories, culture and heritage of the UAE through performances, workshops and special programmes for all ages. Activities include Majlis of Stories, traditional performances, bracelet making and a family scavenger hunt, among others.
Visitors have been advised to book tickets in advance through their website.
4. Cultural Foundation
Al Hosn Site
18 May| 4-6 PM | Free Entry
Children are invited on a guided, interactive journey through the key functions that bring the Cultural Foundation to life.
5. Al Maqta’a Museum
Abu Dhabi
18 May | 10 AM-3 PM | Free Entry
Al Maqta’a Museum is inviting university students to take part in a unique experience exploring career opportunities in the cultural sector, where participants will spend a day experiencing the museum from within, discovering how it operates, and gaining hands-on practical experience.
The programme includes:
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An interactive, hands-on experience
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A discussion session and Q&A
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Certificates of participation
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Volunteer hours
6. Al Ain Museum
Al Ain
16-18 May | 9 AM-7 PM | Free Entry
Visitors can enjoy a full-day public activation featuring guided tours, interactive discovery activities, and family-focused programmes.
7. Al Ain Culture Sites
Qasr Al Muwaiji | Al Jahili Fort | Al Ain Oasis | Al Qattara Arts Centre | Bait Mohammad Bin Khalifa
18 May | Free Entry
Journey through a unified, multi-location programme focused on conservation and preservation. Learn about the Cultural Sites of Al Ain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore the evolution of historic buildings from their original function to their restoration and transformation.
8. Delma Museum
18 May | Delma Island
On International Museum Day, Delma Museum is organising the event ‘Cultural Pathway to the Future’, which focuses on reactivating the Young Tour Guides programme.
9. Qasr Al Hosn
Al Hosn Site
17 May | 9 AM – 6 PM | Free Entry
The Children’s Takeover: Young participants (ages 10+) can step into real museum roles, from cultural tour guides and ticketing staff to photographers and gift shop assistants.
10. Manarat Al Saadiyat
Saadiyat Cultural District
18 May | 6 – 8 PM | Free Entry
An immersive guided video-walk experience led by Emirati content creator Zayed Al Haddar that reimagines Saadiyat Cultural District as a living cultural pathway.
11. Abu Dhabi Libraries
Khalifa Park Library | Al Wathba Library | Al Bahia Library | Zayed Central Library (Al Ain) | Al Marfaa Library
16-18 May | 3-7 PM | Free Entry
An interactive programme for children and young teens (ages 6–14) that combines storytelling, creative art-making, and hands-on exploration, from designing your own museum to discovering the stories behind Abu Dhabi’s cultural institutions.
Source: Khaleej Times