As Dubai gears up to host the prestigious International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference for the first time in the MENASA region in 2025, Al Shindagha Museum is poised to play a pivotal role in this landmark event. Managed by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the museum is a testament to the UAE’s rich heritage and cultural tapestry.
Al Shindagha Museum, the UAE’s largest heritage museum, is a prominent stop in the route to understanding Dubai. It weaves a unique tapestry of stories and offers distinctive journeys that guide visitors through an array of 22 pavilions nestled within 80+ historic houses, celebrating Dubai’s history and culture. The museum affords its guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Emirati past through diverse collections, exhibitions, and archival materials. These were collectively sourced in collaboration between the museum and over 100 community members, illustrating a shared endeavour between the museum and the people to preserve and showcase their collective legacy.
The museum presents its narratives in a modern, engaging manner, employing advanced interpretation technology and interactive educational tools to showcase Dubai’s evolution and accomplishments. This emphasises the relevance of the museum’s collections, which capture the essence of Dubai’s heritage through the lens of its developing urban fabric.
Al Shindagha Museum pavilions strive to present a balance between passive and interactive interpretation models. The museum’s focus is on the preservation of the nation’s oral histories. Emerging technology used throughout, such as the ‘Culture of the Sea’ pavilion and the Life of Land: Expressions House, has allowed content to be digitised and disseminated.
The ‘Dubai Creek: Birth of a City’ pavilion offers visitors an immersive audio-visual journey that encapsulates the emirate’s extensive developmental tale. Complementing this sensory voyage, the Perfume House engages visitors with Dubai’s fragrant historical roots, providing an evocative exploration through the aromas that have perfumed it.
Al Shindagha Museum plays a critical role as a custodian of Dubai’s diverse cultural heritage. It stands not just as a museum, but as a living testament to the city’s rich past, continuing to grow through cultivating local content and feedback led by its guiding principle of being a museum by the people for the people.
