How Zayed National Museum is shaping UAE identity through education and engagement

Walking through the sweeping atrium of Zayed National Museum on any given day, you are likely to encounter school groups gathered around an 18-metre reconstruction of a Bronze Age Magan boat, a grandmother participating in a sensory programme designed for her and a young Emirati interacting with a tactile display of artefacts . This is not a coincidence, it is design with intention.

Since opening on December 3, 2025, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates has made good on a promise: to not be limited to being a repository of the nation's past, but a living institution whose relevance extends to every corner of society. Five months in, the evidence is mounting, and with a newly announced strategic partnership with Mubadala Foundation, the museum's ambitions are only growing. Guided by the enduring values of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Zayed National Museum was always conceived as something more than a showcase.

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At its heart is a Learning and Public Engagement directorate designing programmes for the communities of this nation. School groups from across the UAE arrive for structured visits, exploring artefacts through guided storytelling combined with experience-led workshops that is supported by learning resources that link to the museum narrative and complement the national curriculum. Weekends at Zayed National Museum layers interactive workshops, live traditional performances and craft sessions around cultural moments. International Museum Day in May 2026 includes a Majlis of Stories centred on Emirati hospitality rituals, a Sadu bracelet-making workshop, al-Nahma and al-Ahalla performances, a family scavenger hunt and a memory-capturing programme called Moments We Keep.

As Director of Learning and Public Engagement Nassra Al Buainain puts it, a museum can tell the story of a community when that community is at its heart. At Zayed National Museum, this is reflected in a visitor-centred approach across all programmes, designed to engage diverse audiences. Learning and relevance underpin this work, with the museum creating meaningful connections through varied forms of interpretation and participation. This is evident in initiatives such as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme, with 80 per cent of staff trained ahead of opening, and in accessibility efforts co-designed with People of Determination, senior citizens and caregivers. Programmes like the monthly Al Dhuha Hour further support inclusive engagement through tailored tours and workshops for seniors and dementia caregivers.

Complementing this targeted outreach is the Zayed National Museum Research Fund, which amounts to a total of Dh1 million, has supported 18 projects from over ten countries since 2023. The Mubadala Foundation partnership adds more than 20 community, education and Emiratisation programmes over five years, including the Associate Conservator Diploma and internship pathways for students. Dr Peter Magee, Director of Zayed National Museum, has said the Research Fund and the Associate Conservator Diploma reflect the institution's pride in the role it plays in preserving the rich history and culture of the region for future generations, and its mission to inspire the next cohort of historians and archaeologists .

Zayed National Museum is committed to advancing cultural knowledge and preserving the nation's history and heritage for future generations, working closely with national and international partners to broaden access to the nation's story through its programmes and visitor experiences, and ensuring the museum remains a dynamic platform for learning, identity and connection for generations to come.