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Visitors Pavillion

Visitors to the museum are captivated, at first, by the beauty of the artistic façade, full of historical context. The structure is in the shape of a manuscript, inspired by the Unification Agreement, with the seven leaning columns represent the pens that signed the declaration of the constitution in 1971.

Right after the reception area assigned for ticket sales and brochure distribution, a gigantic sculpture stands tall, depicting the preamble of the UAE constitution. On the other side, huge stadiums arise along with a stairway leading to the restaurant on the upper floor. The sight from this height is majestic; it embraces the letters of the country and its shining history through wide glass windows.

Quotes of the Founding Fathers

The most famous quotes from the Founding Fathers cover the sides and corners of the museum. They have been artistically designed appear as if they have been perfectly sculpted within the walls. It adds a beautiful touch while highlighting the importance and the significance of these messages in this land of unity, all the way from 1971.

Art Work

A massive, eye-catching painting by the famous Emirati artist - Abdul Qader Al Rais, grabs the attention of visitors before they begin their journey into the temporary exhibitions and museum sections.

Union Tree Garden

A relatively small garden, mostly surrounded by glass partitions, lies at the entrance of the museum. A waterwall gives the place an ethereal ambience. A tree planted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai, at the headquarters of the Union House on 2nd December 2012 has been relocated to this garden.

The Founders

This interesting and exciting section holds the first exhibition in the museum. Divided into seven categories, each category houses specific material - the first material being majestic images of the Founders, the second being their belongings and the third being an interactive screen communicating historical information about them. This includes their biographies, family trees, unique pictures, special video clips and more.

Dreams of Unity

This section takes visitors on a journey into the past, accompanied by special effects and “expressive music”. It displays the story of the Union in addition to films of great significance, highlighting major events and the most influential personalities in the foundation of the modern state.

UAE Interactive Map

The next exhibition highlights the pre-Union period. Visitors will view a panoramic interactive map of the region that used to comprise the Trucial States before the union. They will also be able to activate the map and get a range of videos and audios.

The technological process of this three-dimensional map is called projection mapping.

The Early Years

A visual showcase with pictures and comments offers an explanation of the pre-Union negotiations with the neighboring Arab countries and with the foreign countries.

Road to Unification

This section exposes the steps leading to the foundation of the Union through a series of pictures and exhibitions in the shape of an irrigation canal. The exhibition provides an interactive line-up of events that led to the Union in the context of the concurrent national and international events at the time.

Three canals of irrigation are exposed in this section, fully equipped with interactive screens with headphones for the visually impaired.

Each Canal provides major information or historical events about the Emirates, divided chronologically as follows:

Canal One: From the Trucial Council until 1971.
Canal Two: From 1972 until Ras Al Khaimah joined the Federation.
Canal Three: From the time Ras Al Khaimah joined the Federation until around 1981.

Seeds of Unity

At this exhibition, visitors will get a chance to enjoy an impressive visual show featuring the latest technological advances (3D Hologram screen) to take them on a journey back in time.

They will witness the famous meeting of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with his brother, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum at Sayh Al-Sadira, as if they were present there.

The narration of events on this historic day has been recorded in the voice of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Change and Unification

This section presents three technological games. The screen interacts with seven cubes, each with a specific code. Once the encrypted part of the selected cube hits a particular spot on the interactive screen, the content of the cube will be displayed on the screen, revealing the concept, comments and pictures of the Cube’s theme. The seven themes of the cubes are:

Identity
Religion
Security
Defense
Independence
Territorial Sovereignty
Culture.

Unifying the Emirates

This section sheds light on the path that the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates embarked upon, through formal and informal meetings, to establish the unity of the nation.

Visitors will have an opportunity to view the challenges faced by the Union, before unification in 1971, through a winding path amidst the portrait of the rulers that allows them to witness key moments leading to this period. This section is fully equipped with sound-effects, including headphones for the visually impaired. The final message, stating the foundation of the United Arab Emirates, is recorded by His Excellency Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi.

The Constitution

It’s impossible not to fall for the beauty of the golden fresco elegantly adorned with sentences from the constitution in a mixture of silver colour. A metre and a half away from this wall, a showcase displays a copy of the constitution signed by the Founding Governors, in addition to the Treaty of Friendship between the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom signed by Sheikh Zayed on the same day he announced the establishment of the Federation of the United Arab Emirates.

Two copies of the constitution are available in this section, in Arabic and in English, giving access to all people to view the content.

Children will also have their share since they will get an interactive screen that will display the terms of the Constitution in an educational yet entertaining method.

United Arab Emirates - One Nation, One Future

This final section was designed to be an open exhibition hall. The interactive screens will give visitors an opportunity to learn about the developments that contributed to the birth of the new nation and prominence of nation’s efforts right after the Union. It is also a way to highlight the major achievements and events that led to the country’s growth, making it what it became today. A variety of subjects will be displayed: The relations of the U.A.E. with other countries, its membership in international organisations, the formal recognition in the United Nations and the positive impact of individual development. One of the interactive screens will represent the stages of development of the passports in each Emirate before adopting the actual shape and content of the unified passport of the UAE.

This section also features an interactive and educational screen. A competition of seven questions will be available for any person capable of interacting with the screen to pick up right answers and win.

The National Anthem will comprise a part of the section, presented with dignity and pride, in addition to a display of the U.A.E. slogan and different stages leading to the adoption of the actual design of the Federal State’s flag.

The circulating national currencies in the region from 1780 to 1973 are displayed in this hall in a digital format with an option available for live viewing.

The hall, rich with national treasures, includes artifacts, archival documents and historical newspapers, each relevant to the content of the interactive screen.

The last 3 showcases reflect the unity of the UAE Armed Forces. The personal belongings, medals and military costumes are proof of the valuable achievements of the armed forces, most particularly during their noble participation in the UN Peacekeeping Mission.

At the end of this section, a giant screen will display materials with deep meaning: a summary of the Union, a glimpse into the past, present and future of the Emirates that lay in the hands of leaders who fell in love with the land and the people who returned their love by swearing loyalty to protect them.

Auditorium

The reception area overlooks the magnificent and unique architecture of the underground museum. As visitors walk down the stairs, at their first right they will reach the Union Theatre equipped with 120 seats for special occasions, temporary exhibitions, conferences and various other activities.

Hint Café

Located on the upper floor, right above the Union Museum entrance, the restaurant offers a large variety of meals to its customers all day long. The best part is the height of the restaurant, overlooking the gigantesque sculpture representing the Preamble of the Constitution, the external square of the Museum, the famous historical flag and the incredibly tall flagpole.

Temporary Exhibition Hall

The large hall is designed to house temporary exhibitions of the museum. The diversity of events keeps the place alive, especially when spreading the essence of patriotism.

Library

More than 3,000 political, social and historical books comprise the Museum Library, in addition to a variety of magazines, booklets, CDs and other educational items related to the UAE.

Classrooms

This department is divided into two sections devoted to educate, train and deliver educational and practical lessons at once.

Gift Shop

Coffee Shop

The coffee shop on the lower floor, in the final section of the Museum, serves a large variety of hot beverages and snacks to the visitors.

Multipurpose Hall

This large hall fits up to 70-100 people. It can host various activities like seminars, temporary exhibitions, conferences and workshops.

Guest Palace

The Guest Palace is one of the most famous historic buildings in Dubai and a renowned landmark throughout the UAE. The underground section of the Etihad Museum is directly connected to the Guest Palace through a suite located above ground, outside the museum building. In order to retain its original condition, the Guest Palace has undergone a series of restorations in the structure as well as the furnishing, while the landscape surrounding it has been restored to its original condition from 1971.

Housed within the structure is the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Majlis, his private office and a dining hall with a seating capacity over 300 people.

Union House

The Union House, which served as the birthplace of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, was restored to match its original style, including structural improvements when needed. The reception hall leading to this historically significant building features curved architecture that gives an impression of embracing the circular shape of the structure.Once inside the House, visitors get overwhelmed by the historic value of the location and building, in addition to experiencing an immense sense of gratitude towards the founding fathers for their vision, determination and capability to lead the Emirates towards the highest levels of achievement, in every eld, worldwide.

The Flagpole

Few steps next to the location of the flag, a waterbody was created to match the shape of the shoreline at the time of signature of the Union of the United Arab Emirates.

A new flagpole of 123 meters replaced the previous one, built in 2001.

This large flag flaps in the sky as a salute to the significance of the land, back when the sea tides used to caress this historical site. The spot next to the Flag and adjacent to the coastal scene has been designed to become a theatre, filled with events and able accommodate a large number of people in the upcoming days.

Union Flag

A few steps ahead, the flag that gathered the Founding Governors after the significant signature of the Federal State flaps in the sky. It’s the same flag that stood tall for unity, perseverance and loyalty. The flag was returned to its initial location, as represented in the memorable picture of the Founding Fathers, and should remain where it can reflect the image and dimension of this historical area.