Image credit: Zayed National Museum
The Foster + Partners-designed Zayed National Museum has opened to the public in Abu Dhabi. Positioned at the centre of the Saadiyat Cultural District, the venue serves as the national museum of the United Arab Emirates, tracing the region’s history from early human settlement to the civilisations that shaped its contemporary cultural identity.
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
The design of the scheme addresses both the desert climate and local cultural traditions. Five lightweight steel “wings” form part of a natural ventilation system that draws hot air out of the central atrium. The design uses negative pressure at the tower tops to release warm air, while cooler air circulates from pipes buried beneath the desert floor. Each wing is glazed to bring controlled daylight into the galleries, with individual tuning possible across the system.
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Exhibition spaces are embedded within a faceted mound whose textured panels abstract the UAE’s topography. The mound provides thermal insulation, reducing solar gain and shielding interior spaces from intense heat. Visitors enter through a light-filled atrium known as Al Liwan, conceived as a gathering and performance space for traditional dance, poetry, and orientation.
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Six permanent galleries form the core of the museum. Four pod-shaped galleries are suspended above Al Liwan in controlled environments designed for sensitive artefacts, supported by triple-laminated glazing and electrochromic rooflights that adjust transparency according to external light levels. Additional permanent galleries, a temporary exhibition space, a restaurant, and a café are located at ground level.
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Drawing on the interests of UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Al Masar Garden surrounds the building to reflect the late Sheikh’s interest in nature, linking the museum to the coastline and providing landscaped areas for public use. A shaded path leads visitors to a viewing platform atop the mound, offering panoramic views of Saadiyat Island.
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
Image credit: Zayed National Museum
“Zayed National Museum tells the story of Sheikh Zayed’s creation of the Emirates and the many facets of his legacy, including his vision of greening the desert,” Norman Foster said about the scheme. “The building itself is an expression of sustainability, with five aerodynamic wings that are an integral part of the environmental system, acting as thermal chimneys and drawing cool air through the public spaces. They are also symbolic of Sheikh Zayed’s love of the traditional sport of falconry and have become markers on the city skyline.”
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