Alserkal Avenue is a warehouse district in Al Quoz with 17 leading galleries, more than 90 creative businesses and Cinema Akil, and its general hours are 10 AM to 7 PM every day. Each business sets its own hours, so check the gallery or cafe you want. The nearest metro station is Onpassive, formerly Al Safa, about 5 minutes by taxi. Alserkal's own site does not state an entry fee, and Time Out Dubai describes the galleries as free. This guide covers hours, galleries, cafes, the cinema, directions and a three-hour plan.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Old Dubai Walking Tour — From $35 per person, 3-4 hours.
What are the opening hours of Alserkal Avenue?
The general hours are 10 AM to 7 PM, every day. Individual businesses have their own hours, which may differ. Cinema Akil is open daily from 10 AM to 12 AM, and Lila Molino + Cafe is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 AM to 10 PM. Check the venue you want.
This guide also answers:
- How do I get to Alserkal Avenue by metro?
- How long do you need at Alserkal Avenue?
- What is Cinema Akil?
The Avenue after dark, and three other Dubai culture stops
#1
Alserkal Avenue in the evening
The general hours end at 7 PM, so an evening visit means choosing venues. Cinema Akil is open daily until midnight, with a box office from 6 PM on weekdays and 3 PM at weekends. Lila Molino + Cafe is open until 10 PM from Tuesday to Sunday. Check each venue, because hours differ.
#2
Etihad Museum
A white curved pavilion by Union House in Jumeirah. Our guide gives AED 25 for adults, free entry for children, open 10 AM to 8 PM with last entry at 7 PM, and 1.5-2 hours for the visit. It is a different part of the city from Al Quoz, so make it a separate half day, not a quick stop.
#3
Al Shindagha Museum
Heritage pavilions at the mouth of Dubai Creek, open daily 10 AM to 8 PM. Our guide lists adult entry at AED 50 for two houses and children free, with Al Ghubaiba Metro station opposite the Creek house. Allow 1.5-2 hours. It is the traditional counterpart to contemporary Al Quoz.
#4
Coffee Museum and the Al Fahidi lanes
A small majlis-style room with brass pots, cups and a roasting pan in a restored house, with galleries, courtyards and a cultural centre in the lanes around it. Our guide says entry to the lanes is free. It pairs well with coffee at Alserkal on another day, and our Old Dubai walking tour passes through this area.
Alserkal Avenue: the short answer
Alserkal Avenue is a district of warehouses in Al Quoz where galleries, cafes, shops and a cinema sit side by side. Its own site describes it as a place where cutting-edge arts and culture sit beside one-of-a-kind businesses, with almost 2 million visitors a year, 90 or more creative businesses and 17 leading galleries across 500,000 square feet. Alongside the galleries are cafes, coffee roasters, design shops, performing arts groups and Cinema Akil, an arthouse cinema.
Its general hours are 10 AM to 7 PM every day of the week, but the site says individual businesses have their own hours, which may be different. Alserkal's site does not state an entry fee for the district. Time Out Dubai describes many of its galleries as free to visit, but cinema tickets, workshops and some events are priced separately. Plan about 2 to 3 hours. That is our estimate, not an official figure. Go on a day when the galleries you want are open.
Opening hours: the Avenue and individual venues
The table gives the general hours and the hours Alserkal lists for three venues on 2 November 2026. Gallery hours vary, so use the Avenue's directory page or the gallery's own page for the one you want. Dubai's weekend is Saturday and Sunday, and our weekend and opening hours guide explains what that means for shops and attractions.
| Venue | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alserkal Avenue, general | 10 AM to 7 PM, every day | Each business sets its own hours |
| Cinema Akil (warehouse 68) | Cinema open daily 10 AM to 12 AM | Box office 6 PM to 10 PM on weekdays, 3 PM to 10 PM at weekends |
| Lila Molino + Cafe (warehouse 18) | Tuesday to Sunday, 9 AM to 10 PM | Mexican food; breakfast bowls and lunch dishes |
| KAVE (warehouse 20) | Sat, Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu 11 AM to 8 PM; Fri 9 AM to 6 PM; Mon closed | Upcycling cafe and retail concept |
From Alserkal Avenue's website, 2 November 2026. Check before you go.
Galleries: who is there and how to see them
Alserkal's directory lists a long run of art venues. Names include Ayyam Gallery, Efie Gallery, Green Art Gallery, Leila Heller Gallery, Gallery Isabelle, Zawyeh Gallery, 1x1 Art Gallery and Aisha Alabbar Gallery. It also lists Ishara Art Foundation, Gulf Photo Plus and the Alserkal Arts Foundation. The Avenue's own filters include Art, Entertainment and Performing Arts, Culinary, Retail and Lifestyle, and Makers and Education.
You do not need to see them all. Pick three or four, check their hours on the directory page, and walk between them. Exhibitions change, so the gallery's own page shows what is on. Gallery hours vary, and some venues close on a weekday. KAVE, for example, is closed on Mondays, so check before a Monday visit.
Alserkal runs two annual art events, according to its site: Alserkal Art Week, held twice a year, and the Quoz Arts Fest, held each January. It also lists winter weekend activations. The food festival What the Food ran on 31 October and 1 November. Our Art Dubai 2027 guide covers the wider art season.
Cafes, coffee and food
The directory lists coffee and food names including Nightjar Coffee Roasters, Subko Coffee Roasters, Pekoe Tea & Bread Bar, Lopo Pizzeria, Ganache Chocolatier, Lila Molino + Cafe and KAVE. Alserkal's pages describe two of them. Lila Molino + Cafe is a home-grown Mexican restaurant with wood-fired flavours and a farm shop that sells tortillas, salsas and Mexican cheeses. KAVE is an upcycling cafe and retail concept that hosts resident artists and a custom bicycle shop.
Our specialty coffee guide puts the Avenue in the wider picture of Dubai's roasters and Arabic coffee.
Cinema Akil
Cinema Akil is in warehouse 68. Alserkal's page calls it the first arthouse cinema in the GCC, known for showing critically acclaimed films from around the world. The cinema is open daily from 10 AM to 12 AM, and the box office is open 6 PM to 10 PM on weekdays and 3 PM to 10 PM at weekends. We did not find ticket prices or a film list on Alserkal's page, so check the cinema's own site.
Getting there by metro, bus, taxi or car
Alserkal Avenue has three entrances, on 17th Street, 6A Street and First Al Khail Street in Al Quoz 1. Alserkal's own page gives these options:
- Metro: the nearest station is Onpassive Metro Station, formerly Al Safa. From there it is about 5 minutes by taxi, 10 by bus or 30 on foot. Our Dubai Metro guide covers fares and Nol cards.
- Bus: bus 110 runs every 12 minutes from Al Safa Bus Terminus, next to the metro station. Lines 10, 12, 15, 96 and 98E have stops a 7 to 10 minute walk away.
- Taxi: the page lists a 15% Careem discount on rides between the metro and the Avenue, with a code on that page. Our taxi and Careem guide compares the options.
- Car: take the Al Manara exit (Exit 43) from Sheikh Zayed Road into Al Quoz. The page says there are more than 500 RTA parking spaces near the Avenue, that parking inside the Avenue is restricted, and that the RTA parking code is 364C.
Gulf News described parking as hard to find at 4:20 PM on a weekday because of the crowds. If you drive, come earlier, or take the metro and a short taxi ride.
A three-hour plan, and when it does not suit you
This is our suggestion, built from the hours above.
- 10:30 to 11:00: arrive by taxi from the metro. If you want breakfast first, Lila Molino + Cafe opens at 9 AM from Tuesday to Sunday.
- 11:00 to 13:00: walk the galleries you picked. KAVE opens at 11 AM on most days, so it fits a coffee stop in this window.
- 13:00 to 14:00: lunch at one of the cafes.
- Evening option: a film at Cinema Akil, where the box office opens at 6 PM on weekdays and 3 PM at weekends.
The Avenue is not for everyone. It is an industrial district, so summer afternoons are hot between the warehouses, you walk from one venue to the next, and there is no single ticketed highlight to tick off. If you want heritage rather than contemporary art, our Old Dubai walking tour is from $35 per person, and our guides to the Etihad Museum, the Al Shindagha Museum and the best museums in Dubai cover other culture stops.
FAQ
What are the opening hours of Alserkal Avenue?
The general hours are 10 AM to 7 PM, every day. Individual businesses have their own hours, which may differ. Cinema Akil is open daily from 10 AM to 12 AM, and Lila Molino + Cafe is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 AM to 10 PM. Check the venue you want.
Is Alserkal Avenue free to enter?
Alserkal's site does not state an entry fee for the district, and Time Out Dubai describes many of the galleries as free to visit. Cinema tickets, workshops and some events cost extra. Check the individual gallery or event page.
How do I get to Alserkal Avenue by metro?
Take the metro to Onpassive station, formerly Al Safa. Alserkal's page says it is about 5 minutes from there by taxi, 10 by bus or 30 on foot. Bus 110 runs every 12 minutes from Al Safa Bus Terminus.
How long do you need at Alserkal Avenue?
We suggest 2 to 3 hours for a few galleries, a coffee and lunch. That is our estimate, not an official figure. Add time if you plan a film at Cinema Akil in the evening.
What is Cinema Akil?
An arthouse cinema in warehouse 68 at Alserkal Avenue. Alserkal's page calls it the first arthouse cinema in the GCC. It is open daily from 10 AM to 12 AM, with a box office open 6 PM to 10 PM on weekdays and 3 PM to 10 PM at weekends.
Can I park at Alserkal Avenue?
Alserkal's page says there are more than 500 RTA parking spaces near the Avenue, but parking inside the Avenue is restricted. Gulf News found parking hard to get at 4:20 PM on a weekday. The metro and a short taxi ride avoid the problem.
When are the Alserkal events like Art Week and Quoz Arts Fest?
Alserkal says Quoz Arts Fest is held each January and Alserkal Art Week twice a year, but dates for 2027 are not given on the pages we read as of 2 November 2026. Check the What's On page before you plan.
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Photos: Etihad Museum — Lxs, CC BY 4.0, Al Shindagha Museum — Akbarali, CC BY-SA 4.0, Coffee Museum and the Al Fahidi lanes — Clemens Schmillen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).