The Zayed National Museum opened in Abu Dhabi last December, dedicated to the UAE's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Designed by Foster + Partners and located on Saadiyat Island, the museum features falcon-wing-inspired architecture and houses exhibitions spanning 300,000 years of human history in the UAE. In an interview with ArtAsiaPacific, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, discusses how the museum's design and programming aim to bring Sheikh Zayed's legacy, the UAE's heritage, and its contemporary identity into dialogue.
The museum matters because it represents a major cultural landmark that seeks to balance tradition and modernity, using architecture and curation to tell a comprehensive national story at an unprecedented scale. Its sustainable design—incorporating natural ventilation, geothermal cooling, and a working falaj irrigation system—honors Sheikh Zayed's environmental stewardship while showcasing how cultural heritage can inform contemporary innovation. The institution also serves as a platform for exploring the UAE's identity and history, potentially complicating official narratives through personal artifacts and oral histories.