6 design-led museums in the UAE

This summer is as good a time as any to revel in beautiful architecture while exploring. We’ve rounded up some key details you cannot miss on your visit and a summary of the exciting programming on offer.

1. Museum of the Future

Designed by Killa Design, the Museum of the Future is perhaps the most striking landmark on Sheikh Zayed Road. The exterior features calligraphy based off a quote of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is 3-D printed onto its skin. The centre ‘O’ is designed to create the void for what is not yet known to us, as the future is indeed, unpredictable. The circular shape also denotes a sense of constant change.  This summer, the museum has unveiled a dynamic lineup of exclusive activations and the launch of a new unlimited-access Summer Pass, available from 1 July to 30 September 2025. Visitors can look forward to immersive, space-themed days featuring real-life astronauts from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), guided photography tours as part of the ‘Capture the Future’ series, and wellness-focused mornings with yoga and meditation sessions at Al Waha on Level 3. For the first time, guests will also be able to participate in ‘Light the Future,’ an interactive opportunity to illuminate the museum’s iconic façade, and gain rare access to behind-the-scenes tours showcasing the building’s inner workings. With the Summer Pass offering flexible entry and access to a rotating calendar of events that include poetry readings and Audi test drive experiences; the Museum continues to position itself as a hub for innovation, wellbeing, and cultural discovery.

2. Louvre Abu Dhabi

Brought to life by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, Louvre Abu Dhabi was the first museum that was constructed on Saadiyat island. During the first year of opening, it welcomed over a million visitors. Through its dome structure and geometry-inspired shading, the museum continues to be a visual delight through the beautiful reflections, shadows and refractions against the water and concrete due to eight layers of shading.  Its contrasting series of white buildings take inspiration from medinas and low-lying Arab settlements. Inspired by the cupola, a distinctive feature in Arabic architecture, the dome is a complex, geometric structure of 7,850 stars. These stars are repeated at various sizes and angles in eight different layers.

This summer, UAE residents can get up to 30% off, be part an immersive VR experience, a summer space camp, and a summer art lab.

3. Etihad Museum

Conceptualised by Moriyama Teshima Architects, Etihad Museum has a fluid form that is originally inspired by a manuscript. It consists of a parabolic shaped pavilion structure and subterranean museum and frames he historic Union House where the nation’s Constitution was signed in 1971. Recognizable by its unique scroll-like form that mimics the parchment paper of the Constitution, the entry features bronze metal text citing the nation’s founding philosophy. Seven rows of embossed bronze columns mimic the form and angle of pens in motion, referencing the act of writing which formalized the seven emirates in this unification. Inside, the museum features an immersive journey of the UAE’s history. Inside, pristine white marble floors extend throughout the space and form the Amphitheatre steps that allow for an informal gathering space for school groups and seminars to be held. While heavily textured, ribbed black marble stone envelops the building’s core and connects visitors to the upper level mezzanine that houses a café and flexible exhibition space.

4. Zayed National Museum (upcoming late 2025)

Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates, will open its doors to the public in December 2025. Designed by Foster + Partners, the museum will be sustainable as it is striking.The museum’s galleries are embedded within a sculpted earth mound, evoking the natural topography of the Emirates. Rising above are five aerodynamic steel structures shaped like falcon wings, functioning as solar thermal towers. Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi, the  museum builds on Sheikh Zayed’s vision. Visitors will explore six permanent galleries across two floors, spanning 300,000 years of human history, as well as a temporary exhibition gallery. The museum’s collection features artefacts from across the UAE, including donations that speak to the rich heritage of the country, in addition to domestic and international loans.

5. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (upcoming in 2026)

Designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi spanning 42,000 sqm is set to be the biggest of its kind in the world once completed. The museum is a landmark collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Envisioned as the region’s leading museum for global modern and contemporary art, its programming is said to include curated collection displays, special exhibitions, artist commissions, research, and publications that aim to foster expansive, cross-cultural perspectives on art history. With a particular focus on West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia (WANASA), the museum seeks to deepen understanding of how diverse artistic voices have shaped the intertwined narratives of our global present.

6. Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (upcoming in 2025)

Reportedly ready by end of 2025, the museum is designed by renowned architecture firm Mecanoo. The inspiration for the museum is inspired from natural rock formations. The museum will house some of the rarest and most remarkable natural history specimens ever discovered, including the iconic Stan, a near-complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, and the Murchison Meteorite—one of the oldest materials in the solar system. Visitors will embark on a journey through space and time, tracing the origins of the universe, the formation of Earth, and the evolution of life, while offering thought-provoking insights into the planet’s future.