Zayed National Museum's Permanent Collection

Zayed National Museum is as much an architectural landmark as a museum. Designed by renowned British architect Lord Norman Foster and Foster + Partners, the building is crowned by five steel towers inspired by the wings of a falcon in flight, while also forming part of a natural ventilation system adapted to Abu Dhabi’s desert climate. The galleries are embedded within a protective mound, with the light-filled central atrium, Al Liwan, at the heart of the building.

Inside, the permanent collection traces 300,000 years of human history in the UAE across six galleries, bringing together archaeology, trade, material culture and Emirati heritage while exploring the life and values of Sheikh Zayed. More than 1,500 objects are displayed from a collection of over 3,000 pieces.

The museum will also open its first temporary exhibition in early December 2026, Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art, exploring more than 7,000 years of camel history and the animal’s role in society, trade and culture across the UAE and the wider region.