Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, an adult ticket costs AED 70 (about $19) and entry is free under 18. We checked the museum's own site on 2 November 2026, and The National reported the opening: the museum opened on 3 December last year. Inside are six permanent galleries on UAE history, from 300,000 years ago to modern times, and Al Masar Garden. Its first temporary exhibition, on camels, is due to open in early December. This guide covers what is inside, tickets, the pass and how to get there from Dubai.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai — From $45 per person, 9 hours.
Is Zayed National Museum open and how much is a ticket?
Yes, it is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, with last entry one hour before closing. An adult ticket is AED 70 (about $19). Under-18s, seniors aged 60 and over who are Emiratis or residents, and people of determination are free. Check the museum's site before you go.
This guide also answers:
- When did Zayed National Museum open?
- What is inside Zayed National Museum?
- How long do you need at Zayed National Museum?
Five places to pair with Zayed National Museum
#1
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Visit Abu Dhabi lists the Louvre adult ticket at AED 70, with free entry under 18, closed on Mondays, open 10:00 to 18:30 Tuesday to Thursday and to 20:30 Friday to Sunday. Allow 2-3 hours. A pass covering both museums exists, and Zayed National Museum is open on Mondays, when the Louvre is closed.
#2
Qasr Al Hosn
The whitewashed fort in the city centre, with a round watchtower, coral-stone walls and an arcaded gallery around an inner courtyard. It is a history stop for a second day in Abu Dhabi, a drive from Saadiyat, with its own tickets and hours.
#3
Heritage Village Abu Dhabi
A stop on our Abu Dhabi City Tour, which is $45 per person shared for a 9-hour day with an 8:00 AM hotel pickup. Our tour page describes Heritage Village as a place for Bedouin history, and the shared tour covers all free-entry sites, so it needs no extra ticket. It is a quick, informal counterpart to a museum on a similar theme.
#4
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Entry is free with online registration, and our $45 Abu Dhabi tour handles it and includes about a 40-minute stop. Women need ankles, wrists and hair covered and men need shoulders and knees covered. It is a separate trip from Saadiyat, so decide whether your day is museums or landmarks.
#5
Etihad Museum, Dubai
A white curved pavilion by Union House in Jumeirah, telling how the emirates came together as the UAE in 1971. Our guide gives AED 25 for adults, free entry for children, 10 AM to 8 PM, and 1.5-2 hours for the visit. It is the shorter and cheaper option if you stay in Dubai.
Zayed National Museum: the short answer and current status
Zayed National Museum is open, daily from 10:00 to 20:00, with a last entry one hour before closing, and an adult ticket costs AED 70 (about $19). The museum's own homepage and visit page both say it is open daily. It is the national museum of the UAE, in the Saadiyat Cultural District, and it tells the story of the country and of its founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Is it a new museum? Yes, it opened on 3 December last year. The National's report of the opening day says President Sheikh Mohamed opened the museum that day, and The National's visitor guide gives the same date. Gulf News and Khaleej Times also carried the 3 December date in their headlines. The museum's own news page now lists programmes held since then, including its first Emirati Women's Day in August.
Hours, tickets and practical details
All figures in the table come from the museum's own visit and ticket pages on 2 November 2026. Check before you go, because ticket categories and prices can change.
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00 to 20:00; last entry 1 hour before closing |
| Adult ticket | AED 70 (about $19) |
| Under 18 | Free; children aged 12 and under must be with an adult at all times |
| Senior Emiratis and residents aged 60 and over | Free |
| People of determination | Free, with a complimentary companion ticket at checkout |
| Educational, journalist categories | Free categories that need ID, collected at the ticket desk on the day |
| Parking and Wi-Fi | Free parking and complimentary Wi-Fi |
| Bags | Large luggage and oversized bags are not permitted; cloakrooms near the entrances |
| Dress | Modest clothing; The National's guide says adults should cover shoulders and knees |
From the museum's visit and ticket pages, 2 November 2026. Check before you go.
The museum also lists prayer rooms on the first floor, an ATM on the ground floor and restrooms across the building. Wheelchairs in three sizes can be requested when you book. The National reported stair-free routes and lifts to the entrance level, and most staff trained in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme. The museum site lists bookable guided experiences, including a falconry tour and history walks in English, French and Emirati sign language. Prices are on the booking page.
What is inside: six galleries and a garden
The museum says it has six permanent galleries, one temporary exhibition space and one outdoor gallery. The story starts 300,000 years ago, with a stone tool of that age found at Jebel Hafit in Al Ain, and reaches modern times. The National reported more than 1,500 objects on display at opening, from a collection of more than 3,000.
| Gallery | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Our Beginning | The life, legacy and values of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father |
| Through Our Nature | The UAE's varied landscapes and how they shaped life in the emirates |
| To Our Ancestors | Evidence of human activity going back 300,000 years, and early trade in the Gulf region |
| Through Our Connections | New technologies, materials and knowledge, the development of Arabic and the spread of Islam |
| By Our Coasts | Coastal settlements and pearling, fishing and trading |
| To Our Roots | Traditional life, customs and economic practices in the inland areas |
Gallery descriptions from the museum's galleries page.
The National named three highlights at opening: the Abu Dhabi Pearl, folios from the Blue Quran, and an 18-metre reconstruction of a Bronze Age Magan boat in the central atrium. Objects on display can change, so ask at the museum if one matters to you. The National also listed a cinema space with short films, Erth Restaurant (Emirati cuisine), Al Ghaf Cafe, garden cafes and Al Nagwa Boutique, which is open 10:00 to 20:00.
The museum gives no recommended visit length. Our estimate, not a museum figure: about 2 hours for the galleries, and more if you add the garden, a meal or a guided experience.
The building and Al Masar Garden
Foster + Partners designed the building. The five towers are inspired by the wing of a falcon in flight and use the same principle as the barjeel wind towers that cooled houses in the region for centuries. The museum says air drawn through underground pipes helps cool the interior, and the concrete colours are inspired by the white sand of Saadiyat.
Al Masar Garden is the outdoor gallery. It tells Sheikh Zayed's story through three landscapes, desert, oasis and urban, with native plants and the traditional falaj irrigation system. The National described a 600-metre path that runs from the Saadiyat coast between the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi to the museum entrance, so the garden is also the easy walking link between the three.
What is coming: the camel exhibition and the Guggenheim
In a media alert dated 14 October 2026, the museum announced its inaugural temporary exhibition, Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art. It is due to open in early December and, according to the museum, is the world's first exhibition to explore more than 7,000 years of camel history in depth. It includes wild camel bones on loan from the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and camel remains from Dubai sites, lent by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The alert gives no exact opening date, so check the museum's site.
Elsewhere on Saadiyat, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens on Friday 11 December, according to our Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opening guide. Plan a December visit with both in mind, because opening weeks can be busy.
The Saadiyat pass, and getting there from Dubai
The National reported in April that Abu Dhabi launched a Saadiyat Cultural District Museum Pass. It covers Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, from AED 120 for two museums and AED 170 for three, valid for 30 days from first use, with free entry for under-18s. See our Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi guide and Louvre Abu Dhabi guide for the other two.
From Dubai, our Saadiyat Island guide allows about 1.5 to 2 hours each way by road, and our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide compares bus, taxi and car. teamLab Phenomena is also on Saadiyat; our teamLab Phenomena guide explains its tickets and rules.
The museum is not a stop on our Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai. That tour is from $45 per person shared, with an 8:00 AM hotel pickup and about 9 hours door to door, and it covers the Grand Mosque, BAPS Mandir, the Corniche and Heritage Village. If the museum is your goal, plan a separate day, or ask us on WhatsApp about a private car ($245 for up to 7 people). Museum tickets are bought separately.
FAQ
Is Zayed National Museum open and how much is a ticket?
Yes, it is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, with last entry one hour before closing. An adult ticket is AED 70 (about $19). Under-18s, seniors aged 60 and over who are Emiratis or residents, and people of determination are free. Check the museum's site before you go.
When did Zayed National Museum open?
It opened on 3 December last year, according to The National's report of the opening day and its visitor guide. Gulf News and Khaleej Times carried the same date. The museum's own site now lists it as open daily.
What is inside Zayed National Museum?
Six permanent galleries, one temporary exhibition space and Al Masar Garden. The galleries cover Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's landscapes, 300,000 years of human history, trade, coastal life and inland traditions. Highlights listed at opening include the Abu Dhabi Pearl and Blue Quran folios.
How long do you need at Zayed National Museum?
The museum gives no figure. Our estimate is about 2 hours for the galleries, plus more for the garden, the restaurant or a guided experience. Last entry is one hour before the 20:00 closing.
What is the dress code at Zayed National Museum?
The museum asks visitors to dress modestly. The National's guide says adults should cover their shoulders and knees. Large luggage and oversized bags are not permitted, and cloakrooms are near the entrances.
Is Zayed National Museum part of the Saadiyat Museum Pass?
Yes. The National reported the pass covers it with Louvre Abu Dhabi and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, from AED 120 for two museums and AED 170 for three, valid for 30 days from first use. It does not cover teamLab Phenomena.
How far is Zayed National Museum from Dubai?
Saadiyat Island is about 1.5 to 2 hours each way by road from Dubai, according to our Saadiyat guide. Our shared Abu Dhabi City Tour, from $45 per person, does not stop at the museum, so plan it as a separate day.
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Photos: Qasr Al Hosn — Darthjipsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Etihad Museum, Dubai — Lxs, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).