There are 2 (two) buildings that you can explore as the public at the Zayed Heritage Center.
Firstly, the Zayed Exhibition building is a museum established in honour of the Father of the Nation, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Secondly, there is the Zayed Library directly opposite the Zayed Exhibition, which provides Arabic books for the public to read and borrow.
How To Book
You won't need to pre-register or purchase any tickets online or in person, as entry to these buildings is free for everyone.
Once you arrive inside the reception of the Zayed Exhibition, you'll only be asked to fill out your details with a pen in their visitor's log book.
When To Go
The Zayed Heritage Center is only open during the week at the following times:
Monday - Thursday 8am - 2:30pm | Friday 8am - 12pm
How To Get There
The Zayed Heritage Center (Zayed Exhibition & Zayed Library) is on the site of the Zayed Centre for Studies and Research in Al Bateen and can be found on Google maps here.
There is ample free car-parking on-site once you drive through their security gates.
Tips For Your Visit
The best public bathrooms on this site are inside the Zayed Exhibition building on the left hand side (directly outside the Police Hall).
The Zayed Exhibition is both pram and wheelchair friendly, as there are ramps provided throughout this museum.
What To Expect
Zayed Exhibition | Staff inside the Zayed Exhibition informed us that there are 3 (three) distinct areas of this museum to explore, which in total took us about an hour before we left.
The main area is called the Sheikh Zayed Gallery and also includes a number of other rooms nearby which are dedicated to Emirati culture.
The three (3) main areas to explore inside this museum are:
1. Sheikh Zayed Gallery (including separate rooms consisting of Al Hosn Hall, Bani Yass Hall and the Police Hall)
2. ADCO Hall (this is one room only and is dedicated to everything ADNOC related)
3. Emirates Post (this is one room only and looks at the history of their national postal system)
There is no particular order that you need to explore this museum, so best to start & finish wherever you feel like it on the day or depending upon where less crowds are during your visit.
There is also an Arabic bookshop at the entrance of this museum, so you can purchase these books either before or after your visit.
Zayed Library | We didn't spend too much time at Zayed Library, as neither Thomas or I can read Arabic books, but we did enjoy seeing inside this beautiful old library.
If you can read Arabic books then there is quite a collection here to view in this one room with chairs and tables also provided.
There's also a friendly staff member working inside the Zayed Library, so you can ask them any questions you might have during your visit.
Neighbouring cafes & restaurants to explore | Whilst there is no on-site cafe or restaurant at the Zayed Heritage Center, there are a lot of good venues within walking distance or a short drive around Al Batten Marina.
Thomas and I chose to dine at SADDLE HOUSE, which we both really enjoyed visiting for the first time together.
Thomas loved trying one of their fresh juices and I really enjoyed eating their coconut yoghurt with granola and fresh blueberries.
Visiting SADDLE HOUSE was the perfect ending to our time exploring the Zayed Heritage Center earlier that morning, so we'd highly recommend dining out somewhere in the nearby Al Bateen Marina area either before or after your visit to this culturally important site.
The Verdict
Not many people we know who live in Abu Dhabi have visited the Zayed Heritage Center.
That's not because it's not a good place to visit, but maybe because it might not be as widely advertised as some of the other Emirati cultural places in this city.
Nevertheless, this is an excellent place for both tourists and UAE residents to learn more about Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Emirati culture.
Sounds like fun? Don’t just take our word for it, experience it for yourself.
Be inspired to start or add to your very own bucket lists.
You can also click here for more unique bucket list ideas in the UAE!
Above prices & information correct as of November 2023.
Comments