The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi was inaugurated on Thursday in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
Located in Saadiyat Cultural District, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi spreads over 35,000 sqm and is the largest of its kind in the Middle East.
The museum will open to the public on 22 November 2025.
HH Sheikh Khaled said that the opening of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi represents a significant addition to the cultural landscape of the UAE and Abu Dhabi, highlighting that the museum offers an innovative scientific platform that enhances knowledge, expands horizons for research and discovery, and enables community members to understand the history of planet Earth and its key evolutionary stages through interactive exhibits and advanced educational content.
Visitors to the museum will be able to explore 13.8 billion years of history spanning the creation of the universe and the story of life on Earth, through interactive exhibitions, immersive experiences and scientific research, uniting knowledge, discovery and exploration in one destination.
Among various artefacts at the museum, are rare collections of meteorites and giant fossils, along with reimagined scenes of Abu Dhabi’s ancient natural world. It also features interactive exhibitions and educational programmes that introduce visitors to the history of the universe and the evolution of biodiversity. The museum also includes a specialised research centre dedicated to palaeontology, biology and environmental sciences.
The museum showcases some of the most significant scientific discoveries in the field of palaeontology, including a complete herd of sauropods – giant, long-necked dinosaurs – with five different species exhibited for the first time globally. The museum also displays one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever discovered, along with a Triceratops specimen.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, commented: “Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is a place where knowledge meets wonder. The museum offers a different perspective of the story of life on Earth, framed for the first time through an Arabian lens.
“Bringing a new dimension to our cultural story, we are building institutions that inspire curiosity, foster learning, and connect us to the bigger questions about our world and our future, while reinforcing our conviction in culture as a strategic force for shared progress. Understanding our planet’s past helps us protect its future, and that is the foundation of what we have built here.”
A seven-million-year journey into Abu Dhabi’s ancient natural environment, from a time when the land was a green, savannah-like landscape inhabited by diverse species, including the now-extinct giant four-tusked elephant, is also showcased in the museum.
Showcasing interactive scientific specimens and exhibits that explore the story of Earth, the universe and life, it offers an educational and research-based experience that deepens scientific understanding, inspires the next generation to engage with nature, and promotes sustainability and the protection of the planet’s resources.
The museum also offers dedicated educational and knowledge-based spaces designed to empower students, researchers and young learners to become future scientists and guardians of biodiversity, through interactive programmes, workshops and community initiatives, transforming a passion for exploring nature into evidence-based scientific knowledge.
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi joins a collection of world-class cultural landmarks within the Saadiyat Cultural District, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the upcoming Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
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