Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai (must see)
The best way to find out about Dubai's traditional culture and everyday life before the discovery of oil is to visit the Dubai Museum.
The museum is located in the oldest stronghold in Dubai, the Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787. The fort is square with towers on three corners overlooking a central courtyard. At its east entrance are two cannons and the flags of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. In the central court, there is a bronze cannon and balls and a summer house called an Arish, built of woven palm fronds. Inside the Arish here is a sitting area with divans, a sleeping area, and a kitchen.
The museum is housed in the halls that line three of the fort鈥檚 walls and in the galleries under the courtyard. It has an impressive display of arms and weapons used over the centuries. There is a model of the city in 1820 and traditional musical instruments, accompanied by a video of folk music.
One of the galleries contains old maps of Dubai and a video room showing short documentaries about life in Dubai from before the discovery of oil to the present day. Another gallery houses a dhow (a traditional boat) and a life-size model of a creek side souk, complete with stalls, figures of merchants, craftsmen and pearl traders.
You will also find a model of a mosque, a typical family house, and a Bedouin tent with details about life in the desert, with date farms and camels. Another gallery deals with star-maps and how the night sky was used to determine various important events in Arabian life. You will also see dioramas about marine life and how to build a dhow. The visit ends with dioramas showing the Al Qusais architectural site, with tombs and skeletons.
The whole museum uses excellent sound effects to accompany each different section of the gallery to make you feel that you really are back in 鈥淥ld Dubai鈥�. There is also a very good gift shop.
Tip:
Make sure you walk around the museum and go to the old town called Al Fahidi 鈥� it is peaceful and quiet, with beautiful Arabic architecture, and open to visitors.
Editor's note: this venue is currently under renovation and will be closed to the public until further notice.
The museum is located in the oldest stronghold in Dubai, the Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787. The fort is square with towers on three corners overlooking a central courtyard. At its east entrance are two cannons and the flags of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. In the central court, there is a bronze cannon and balls and a summer house called an Arish, built of woven palm fronds. Inside the Arish here is a sitting area with divans, a sleeping area, and a kitchen.
The museum is housed in the halls that line three of the fort鈥檚 walls and in the galleries under the courtyard. It has an impressive display of arms and weapons used over the centuries. There is a model of the city in 1820 and traditional musical instruments, accompanied by a video of folk music.
One of the galleries contains old maps of Dubai and a video room showing short documentaries about life in Dubai from before the discovery of oil to the present day. Another gallery houses a dhow (a traditional boat) and a life-size model of a creek side souk, complete with stalls, figures of merchants, craftsmen and pearl traders.
You will also find a model of a mosque, a typical family house, and a Bedouin tent with details about life in the desert, with date farms and camels. Another gallery deals with star-maps and how the night sky was used to determine various important events in Arabian life. You will also see dioramas about marine life and how to build a dhow. The visit ends with dioramas showing the Al Qusais architectural site, with tombs and skeletons.
The whole museum uses excellent sound effects to accompany each different section of the gallery to make you feel that you really are back in 鈥淥ld Dubai鈥�. There is also a very good gift shop.
Tip:
Make sure you walk around the museum and go to the old town called Al Fahidi 鈥� it is peaceful and quiet, with beautiful Arabic architecture, and open to visitors.
Editor's note: this venue is currently under renovation and will be closed to the public until further notice.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Dubai. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort on Map
Sight Name: Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort
Sight Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (See walking tours in Dubai)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (See walking tours in Dubai)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Create Your Own Walk in Dubai
Creating your own self-guided walk in Dubai is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Dubai Downtown Walking Tour
The ultra-modern city of Dubai did not always look the way it does now. For centuries, the city's economy relied heavily on the pearling and fishing industries. The Maktoum family, Dubai's current rulers, took over the reigns in 1883. The discovery of oil in 1966 set the change for a shift away from reliance on the marine industry.
Dubai joined the United Arab Emirates in 1971.... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Dubai joined the United Arab Emirates in 1971.... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Deira Shopping Walk
Deira has been a Dubai commercial hub for years, home to the city鈥檚 oldest souks and a warren of narrow streets lined with outdoor caf茅s and traditional shops. Souks are traditional markets and they can be found on both sides of Dubai Creek.
The liveliest and most colorful are on the Deira side, and a tour of the souk adjacent to Deira Abra station is particularly rewarding. This is the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
The liveliest and most colorful are on the Deira side, and a tour of the souk adjacent to Deira Abra station is particularly rewarding. This is the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Old Dubai Walking Tour
Dubai's Old Quarter is one of the oldest residential areas in the city, with a predominantly South Asian population, restaurants, and shops. Commonly referred to as Meena Bazaar by the local Pakistani and Indian community, the locality also encompasses the Al Fahidi (otherwise known as Al Bastakiya) Historical Neighbourhood which dates back to the 1800s.
One of the prominent landmarks in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
One of the prominent landmarks in... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Top 15 Uniquely Dubai Things to Buy
One big shopping center, such as Dubai, makes it easy and hard, at the same time, to stop one's choice on a proper souvenir to take home. A handful of gems, a Rolex watch, maybe, or a flying carpet... All of these may last in time, but come at a price. Here are some of the more traditional and,...