Al Ain Museum Reopens After Major Expansion & Renovation
After an extensive redevelopment, the UAE’s oldest museum reopens in Al Ain with ten scaled-up galleries and state-of-the-art exhibits.
Al Ain Museum, originally founded in 1969 and recognised as the first museum in the United Arab Emirates, has officially reopened following an extensive redevelopment programme.
The renovation expanded the museum’s gross floor area from approximately 1,200 square metres to over 8,000 square metres, introducing ten primary galleries outfitted with advanced audiovisual and interactive technologies. Key additions include a dedicated research and conservation centre, interactive learning spaces, a reading room, café, and temporary exhibition hall — all intended to enhance visitor experience and support heritage preservation.
Among the upgraded exhibitions are archaeological and ethnographic collections tracing human settlement in the Al Ain region, with artefacts dating back more than 8,000 years, including items from Jebel Hafeet and Al Qattara tombs.
