Dubai Museum

Dubai Museum in Al Fahidi Fort

Dubai Museum is situated in Al-Fahidi Fort, probably Dubai's oldest building built in 1800. There is a small admission fee payable on entry and a souvenir shop in the underground extension. There are no toilet facilities.

In the past Al-Fahidi Fort was used to defend what was then a town from warlike neighbouring tribes. The building has at various times throughout its history also served as the Emir's residence, seat of government, an ammunition magazine and in recent times a gaol.

The battle-scarred main walls of the fort are built from local coral blocks and shell rubble recovered from the sea cemented together with a lime based mortar. The upper floor is supported on heavy Wooden poles called handel, the ceiling is constructed from woven palm fronds reinforced with mud and plaster. A massive, iron-studded door stands at the entrance. The exterior walls and towers bear witness to the activities of the fort's past. There is a full size Arab dhow on a plinth outside.

When the Museum was opened by Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum the ruler of Dubai in 1971. The main aim was and still is to furnish a record of the Emirate's fast disappearing, traditional life. Many local antiquities have been added to the collections, displayed and stored, along with interesting artifacts from many African and Asian countries that had been trading partners with the Emirate. Dubai has a long commercial and trading history.

At the Museum's entrance, you can browse through a collection of old charts and maps of the Arabian Gulf and the Emirates region, together with aerial photographs showing Dubai's considerable urban expansion between 1960 and 1980. Inside, a veritable treasure trove awaits. The collections include: a large section of traditional musical instruments, with displays of drums, flutes, lyres, bagpipes made of goatskin, together with other locally-made instruments used in performances on festive cultural occasions. On a slightly less peaceful note, there are displays of deadly weaponry in the armoury section, enough to curdle the blood. The curved Arab daggers known as hanjars (pronounced kun-jer) are much in evidence, with swords, spears, bows and arrows, shields made of sharkskin, pistols and axes too.

A model of a wind-tower room (ancient air-conditioning!) that is part of the old accommodation area of the fort, is an interesting feature in the architecture section, with sketches and photos showing different types of wind-towers from the older areas of old Dubai city. The museum has been substantially extended with an underground labyrinth with a typical old Dubai souk, boat yard and dioramas showing the natural habitat of desert wildlife.

Situated close to the Museum is Narish Khyma, a typical Arab summer-house, with an interesting collection of local boats. These include a replica of the famous abra the ferry boats used for transporting passengers across Dubai's river creek.