His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has officially inaugurated Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, a landmark institution which reinforces the UAE’s leadership in culture and scientific research. Located in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum offers an inspiring journey through 13.8 billion years of history spanning the creation of our universe and the story of life on Earth. It also serves as a centre for research and discovery, with onsite facilities that will undertake scientific research and contribute to global knowledge production.
Welcoming the public from 22 November, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is the largest institution of its kind in the Middle East. It features extraordinary exhibits and interactive experiences which bring nature’s greatest stories to life, including awe-inspiring glimpses into the age of dinosaurs. The world’s first-ever display of a sauropod dinosaur herd can be found in the museum’s atrium, with five different species of these long-necked giants standing majestically to greet visitors as they enter.
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has a special focus on the natural history of the Emirates and the wider region. Galleries take visitors back in time to seven million years ago, when the climate was very different, giving life to a green and lush savannah-like landscape roamed by now-extinct animals, including a giant elephant with four tusks, which is also on display for visitors to discover.
Deeper into the galleries, another world-first awaits: a display featuring Tyrannosaurus rexes locked in battle over the carcass of a Triceratops, which is the first time two fossil T. rexes have been exhibited in such a dynamic scene. They include 67-million-year-old “Stan”, one of the best-preserved examples of a T. rex ever discovered, bringing this prehistoric scene vividly to life. Visitors can observe fossil evidence of this ancient battle, including bite marks on the Triceratops.
H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is a place where knowledge meets wonder. The museum offers a different perspective of the story of life on Earth, framed for the first time through an Arabian lens. Bringing a new dimension to our cultural story, we are building institutions that inspire curiosity, foster learning, and connect us to the bigger questions about our world and our future, while reinforcing our conviction in culture as a strategic force for shared progress. Understanding our planet’s past helps us protect its future, and that is the foundation of what we have built here.”
Beyond the visitor experience, education and research are at the heart of the museum’s mission. In addition to showcasing the wonders of the natural world, it will advance scientific understanding, support interdisciplinary research, and inspire future generations to explore, protect, and learn from our planet.
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi embraces climate awareness and sustainable conservation. Guided by the UAE’s deep commitment to environmental education, the museum also serves as an institution for educational engagement and biodiversity research about our shared future. Central to this purpose is youth. The museum seeks to educate and empower young citizens to become future scientists, researchers, and conservation leaders, inspired to pursue careers in natural history and environmental responsibility.
The museum will also host ongoing public programming, education workshops, and community-led initiatives designed to make natural history accessible to everyone. As a space where scientific knowledge meets cultural insight, the museum invites every visitor to move beyond observation, to think critically, act responsibly, and be part of the solutions shaping tomorrow’s world.
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi joins a growing community of world-class institutions on Saadiyat Island, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the upcoming Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Together, these institutions define the Saadiyat Cultural District as a global destination for culture, creativity, and cross-disciplinary exchange, a place where art, science, and heritage are brought together to shape future generations.
