There is also a full weekend of interactive workshops and hands-on activities
Abu Dhabi’s museums are turning International Museum Day into a three-day citywide experience you don’t just visit, you take part in.
Visitors across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will be able to enjoy free entry from 16–18 May, with a wide programme of cultural, scientific, and heritage experiences running throughout the weekend.
The initiative brings together some of the UAE’s key museums, encouraging people to explore different perspectives on history, science, and identity in one connected cultural moment.
Participating museums include the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn, Al Ain Museum, Delma Museum, and Al Maqta’a Museum.
At the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the weekend focuses on interactive science and discovery.
Visitors can take part in hands-on workshops such as Sun Printing, where sunlight is used to create artistic impressions, Light Lab: Colour & Shadow, which explores how light behaves in different environments, and Constellation Light Lab, which brings astronomy into an accessible creative format.
For younger visitors, sessions like Shadow Safari and the Wiggly Creatures Workshop combine storytelling, movement, and imagination to make scientific ideas more engaging.
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On 18 May, the programme moves behind the scenes with Build a Mini Exhibit, where visitors act as curators and design their own displays, as well as Meet the Scientists, which offers direct conversations with researchers and museum experts.
At the Zayed National Museum, the focus turns to Emirati heritage, storytelling, and community traditions.
Experiences such as Majlis of Stories recreate a traditional majlis setting where visitors can explore Emirati hospitality and share cultural practices. Live Sadu Bracelet Making introduces participants to traditional weaving symbolism through a hands-on craft activity.
The programme also includes performances under Rhythm, Together, where traditional forms like al-nahma and al-ahalla are expressed through rhythm, movement, and collective participation.
Additional activities such as Capturing Memories Workshop allow visitors to transform personal photographs into tactile artworks using natural materials, while Living Objects offers guided storytelling through artefacts that reflect the UAE’s history and daily life.
Across all participating museums, the aim is to make culture and science more accessible, interactive, and shared.
Rather than a passive visit, the weekend is designed as an open invitation to explore, create, and connect with the UAE’s cultural landscape at your own pace.
Free, 16-18 May, Abu Dhabi. For further information, follow @dctabudhabi on IG
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