Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (via the Abu Dhabi Media Office) announced that the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will open to the public on Saturday, 22 November 2025, following VIP tours by senior royals this week.
Abu Dhabi unlocks 13.8 billion years of history
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHM Abu Dhabi) officially opens its doors to the public on Saturday, November 22, 2025, marking a new cultural milestone for the UAE capital. Located in the prestigious Saadiyat Cultural District, this colossal institution immediately becomes the largest natural history museum in the Middle East.Spanning over 35,000 square metres (377,000 square feet), the museum is designed to take visitors on an epic, continuous journey spanning 13.8 billion years of time and space, from the very origins of the universe to the future of our planet. Crucially, while presenting the global story of life, the museum foregrounds the natural history of the Arabian Peninsula, showcasing the region’s unique geological evolution and long-lost species.
The star attractions
The NHM Abu Dhabi houses several irreplaceable, world-famous specimens designed to maximize impact and inspire awe.
The Trio of Global Stars:
- Stan the T-Rex: The star attraction is undoubtedly Stan, a magnificent, nearly complete
Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The 11.7-meter (38-foot) predator, one of the best-preserved and most studied T-rex fossils globally, is displayed in a dramatic, action-packed exhibit: Stan is posed mid-battle against a second T-Rex, a dynamic depiction that is a world-first for a natural history museum. - The Blue Whale: Visitors can stand beneath the skeleton of a 25-meter (82-foot) female blue whale, the largest animal ever known on Earth. Unlike iconic whale displays in other global museums, this specimen is suspended just 10 feet off the ground, allowing visitors to truly grasp its gargantuan size.
- The
Murchison Meteorite : An artifact older than our solar system itself. The museum holds a significant fragment of the 7-billion-year-old Murchison Meteorite, which crash-landed in Australia in 1969. This space rock is vital as it contains organic compounds (like amino acids) and pre-solar grains, offering ancient clues about the building blocks of life on Earth.
Arabian history and dino giants:
- Arabian Finds: A core part of the narrative is dedicated to local natural history, including the fossilized remains of the Stegotetrabelodon emiratus, an extinct four-tusked elephant species discovered in Abu Dhabi’s western
Al Dhafra region. - The Sauropod Herd: Greeting museum-goers in the striking central atrium is a world-first display of a herd of five towering, 75-foot-tall Sauropods (long-necked dinosaurs), arranged in a lifelike, dynamic formation that transports visitors back to the Jurassic era.
Design, and a sustainable future
The museum is more than a gallery; it is a dedicated scientific hub designed to foster environmental stewardship and scientific discovery.
- Architecture Inspired by Nature: The structure itself is a masterpiece. Designed by renowned Dutch architects Mecanoo, the building rises organically from the Saadiyat Island landscape, intentionally resembling natural rock formations. The geometric design uses pentagonal shapes that echo cellular structures, while incorporating water features and vegetation as potent symbols of life in the desert.
- Galleries and Global Collaboration: The museum’s narrative unfolds across five permanent galleries, including The Story of Earth, The Evolving World, Our World, Resilient Planet, and Earth’s Future, alongside specialized labs like The PalaeoLab and The Life Sciences Lab.
To mark its grand opening, the NHM Abu Dhabi is launching two major temporary international exhibitions:
- The March of the Triceratops: The Herd: Showcasing the world’s only touring Triceratops herd.
- 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year: A collaboration with the Natural History Museum London, featuring 100 striking images.
Planning your visit
The new museum reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global cultural hub, joining institutions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Zayed National Museum.
- Location: Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island.
- Admission Cost: General admission is Dh70 (US$19).
- Free Entry: Admission is free for children under 18, UAE-based seniors, and people of determination.
- Parking: Free parking is available for all visitors.
With its doors now open, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has instantly transformed the region’s cultural and scientific landscape. More than a resting place for fossils and cosmic wonders, it stands as a dynamic hub for education and research, committed to inspiring curiosity, championing conservation, and driving evidence-based innovation. The NHM Abu Dhabi is poised to become a global centre of knowledge, securing the UAE’s role in advancing our collective understanding of Earth’s past, present, and sustainable future.
