Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts, heritage, and literature, said it has thrown open the doors of Al Shindagha Museum to visitors. Phase One of the project also includes the ‘Dubai Creek: Birth of a City’ pavilion and Perfume House.

Al Shindagha Museum is a world-class heritage museum that connects Emiratis, residents, and visitors to the rich heritage of the UAE, embracing traditional values and revealing powerful continuities between past and contemporary Emirati identity.

This represents the first phase of the ambitious Dubai Historical District (DHD) project and was developed in collaboration between Dubai Culture which will manage the museum’s content and operations, Dubai Municipality (DM), and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism).

Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020 aims to attract more than 20 million visitors per year by 2020, of which DHD aims to attract 12 million.

In alignment with this goal, the museum will be managed by Dubai Culture as part of the Authority’s mandate to consolidate Dubai’s position as a regional and global focal point for diverse cultural exchange, it stated.
 
Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020 invites visitors to discover both tangible and intangible reminders of the UAE’s captivating past through innovative exhibitions, organised events, and specialised public-learning programmes, reflecting the Authority’s mandates to enhance Dubai’s cultural offering as well as preserve Emirati heritage and present it to the audience.

A key highlight of the new museum is the Perfume House, which is home to a multi-sensory perfume experience that showcases traditional and industrial perfume-making techniques that highlight local excellence.

It will invite visitors to explore Emirati culture via scent as well as the heritage that stems from perfumes which played an integral role in trade and exchange activities that made Dubai prosper in Emirati hospitality and in the personal lives of the nation’s citizens.

The Dubai Creek: Birth of a City’ is another key pavilion of the museum, serving as a starting point for visitors by introducing them to the history of Dubai through an immersive journey that will encompass artefacts and archival photography, said the statement from Dubai Culture.

It will also chart Dubai’s development into the thriving metropolis that it is today and showcase how the city’s leaders, both past and present, were essential in providing the vision behind this extraordinary expansion, it stated.

Dubai Culture Chairman Abdul Rahman Al Owais said: "The opening of Al Shindagha Museum commemorates the historical city of Dubai and our ancestors’ footprints to ensure they continue inspiring future generations, strengthening their sense of pride in their country and heritage."

"This major landmark allows us to spread our rich heritage and introduce it to visitors, underlining our vigorous efforts to safeguard Emirati heritage, in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai," he noted.

"The museum will serve as an effective addition to the Dubai Historical District and a major attraction for visitors, providing deep insights, not only on Dubai’s history but also the UAE’s rich heritage," he added.

Al Owais said: "This serves as the first step in the development of the Dubai Historical District, which will help drive the city’s burgeoning tourism sector and cultural scene."

"Our collaboration efforts pushed us to make this significant stride, reflecting our commitment to following our wise leadership’s directives of enhancing coordination and cooperation among government entities to improve well-being and boost happiness among citizens and residents, supporting activities that drive the creative economy," he stated.

Mohammed Al Murr, the chairman of the Dubai Historical District Development Committee, said: "Al Shindagha Museum reflects the wise leadership’s keen interest in preserving our cultural identity, which is inspired by our history and reflected in our heritage, customs, and traditions, especially as it is located in Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood."

"The museum invites all community segments to visit and get a glimpse into Dubai’s development and transformation that allowed it to reach its leading position," he noted.

Saeed Al Nabouda, the acting director general at Dubai Culture, said: "This museum is a direct translation of the vision of Sheikh Mohammed. It also represents the first phase of the DHD project which will support cultural tourism in Dubai and the UAE at large by bringing authentic traditions and heritage to life."

"The museum is part of our ongoing efforts to establish Dubai as a global cultural hub and support Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020 by inviting the world to discover our rich heritage," he added.-TradeArabia News Service