Free entry initiative sees visitors thronging museums, cultural landmarks in Abu Dhabi

For the second day in a row, Abu Dhabi’s museums on Sunday witnessed a large turnout from all segments of society and from multiple nationalities concurrently with the initiative of free entry to a number of museums and cultural landmarks, which concludes on Monday in celebration of International Museum Day, amidst a distinctive cultural and interactive atmosphere.

Visitors flocked to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and Zayed National Museum in Saadiyat Cultural District, along with a number of other cultural destinations, since the early morning hours.

The museums witnessed active movement with the organization of tours, interactive experiences, educational workshops and live performances that allowed visitors to explore the collections and artistic, cultural and historical exhibitions.

The educational workshops and live performances attracted the attention of families and children, while visitors were keen to explore the collections and exhibitions that highlighted the history and heritage of the UAE in addition to human civilizations, arts and natural history in an integrated cultural and educational experience.

Fatema Al Hammadi, a curator at Zayed National Museum, told Al Khaleej that museums formed a fundamental pillar in narrating the history and civilizations of the UAE on this land, noting that Zayed National Museum celebrated International Museum Day by offering a number of interactive educational workshops and live performances that reflected the heritage and history of the UAE.

The educational workshops and live performances attracted the attention of families and children.

The museum attracted large numbers of visitors including Emiratis, UAE residents and tourists of all ages, she added, stressing that one of the most prominent activities was ‘Our Collections’ where every object told a story.

This activity invited visitors to interact with the collections of Zayed National Museum and learn about the country’s rich history and its details in an interactive and educational way, she said.

A number of visitors affirmed that the initiative to receive the public for free was a unique opportunity to learn about the culture and history of the UAE, noting that the museums allowed them to view the collections and exhibitions that documented the beginnings of the country and its civilizational and developmental journey.

The initiative encouraged families, residents and tourists to visit museums and benefit from interactive activities, workshops and live performances that reflected Emirati heritage, they said, stressing that the diversity of cultural content and organization within the museums gave visitors an integrated experience that combined knowledge and entertainment.

According to visitors, museums such as Zayed National Museum offered a historical and educational sequence that introduced generations to the history of the UAE and different civilizations and highlighted the values of tolerance and cultural openness that characterized the country.

Other visitors praised the ease of movement between museums and the services provided to visitors during the activities.