Eight major cultural destinations and museums across the UAE opened free of charge from May 16–18, 2026, to celebrate International Museum Day. Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and Louvre Abu Dhabi offered free entry, alongside Qasr Al Hosn and other cultural sites in Al Ain and Delma Island.
This year’s theme was ‘Museums Unite a Divided World,’ with a three-day program of interactive workshops for children and teens, live performances, and guided tours across the emirate, concluding with film screenings featuring digital narratives about Abu Dhabi’s museums.
This coincides with growing international recognition for Zayed National Museum, opened less than six months ago: TIME magazine named it among the World’s Greatest Places of 2026, and the Prix Versailles ranked it among the world’s seven most beautiful museums.
Source: 24.ae
Source: الإمارات اليوم / Emarat Al Youm
Source: أبوظبي للثقافة / Abu Dhabi Culture
Source: جريدة البلاد / Al Bilad
