Etihad Museum has scooped the top honours at The Leading Culture Destinations Awards 2017. The museum, which opened in January and is located in Dubai at the start of Jumeirah 1, won the coveted ‘Best New Museum in the Middle East and Africa’ award at the recent event in London. The exhibition hall that offers visitors an in-depth look into the UAE’s rich heritage and past was also ranked runner-up in the Best Museum Architecture of the Year category. Representatives from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the bedrock of the emirate’s cultural, arts and heritage related affairs, which manages the museum’s day-to-day running, permanent and temporary exhibitions and educational programmes, received the award. Spokespersons from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which was responsible for the museum’s design and construction, were also there to partake in the proud moment.
During the announcement, Abdul Rahman Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health and Prevention and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Dubai Culture, said: “This recognition honours the success the museum has achieved in a short period of time in strengthening its position on the global tourism stage, becoming famed as an important centre for academic exchange among both students and experts, cementing its role as an important reference point for the historical education of future Emirati generations and UAE residents, and acknowledging the legacy of the Founding Fathers.”
Etihad Museum, a dynamic 21st century museum that offers a unique journey back in time, focuses on inspiring visitors with the story of how the UAE was founded. With information about the Founding Fathers, along with their images and belongings, plus an interactive timeline highlighting major events and key people, visitors can learn how incidents led to the unification of the UAE in 1971 thanks to the Union Agreement. There’s even a visual showcase in 3D Hologram screen of the famous meeting between Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with his brother Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum at Sayh Al-Sadira, with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum narrating. The period between 1968 and 1974 is particularly highlighted, so visitors can see how things transpired directly after the birth of the nation as well. The museum, which offers special programmes and workshops, also aims to educate visitors about the UAE constitution and the rights and responsibilities of Emirati citizens.
Located underground, the 25,000m2 landmark befittingly connects to the entrance of the Union House, the historical site where the UAE’s constitution was signed, and the Guesthouse. The shape of a manuscript inspired the building’s design. “Seven columns represent the pens used by the Founding Fathers to sign the Union Agreement, and even the waterfront reflects the coastline that existed in that period. All of this gives visitors an evocative glimpse back in time,” Mattar Al Tayer, General Director and Chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA, said during the announcement.
For more information, visit www. etihadmuseum.dubaiculture.uae
