Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision takes centre stage as UAE hosts global museum gathering
DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman reflects on UAE’s museum legacy as nation hosts historic ICOM gathering, right before the opening of Natural History Museum and the soon-to-open Zayed National Museum in Saadiyat Cultural District
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has outlined the emirate’s decades-long commitment to building a comprehensive museum ecosystem as the United Arab Emirates hosted the 27th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Dubai.
The conference brought together museum professionals from around the world under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities,’ marking the first time this global gathering has taken place in the Arab region. “In the UAE, our conviction in the essential value and enduring importance of museums remains absolute,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak. “When museums operate with a genuine mandate to serve their communities, they transcend their institutional walls. They become powerful catalysts for opportunity, fostering profound human connection, driving societal transformation, and empowering the next generation.”
Over the past decade, Abu Dhabi has accelerated its cultural development with major national museum projects now nearing completion. The Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the first of its kind in the region, are set to open in Saadiyat Cultural District alongside the existing Louvre Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to follow.
The Abu Dhabi approach prioritises what Al Mubarak calls a “fundamentally holistic” vision that looks beyond architectural exteriors to the civic role museums play in fostering genuine connection and social cohesion. “Each institution in Saadiyat Cultural District serves a distinct and highly specialised purpose and together they form a synergistic ecosystem where museums complement one another, fundamentally strengthening our national identity, enriching our civic life, and accelerating our collective progress,” he explained.
The Chairman emphasised that museums in Abu Dhabi function as spaces of belonging for the 200 nationalities that call the UAE home, while serving as platforms for socio-economic opportunity that support creative careers and inspire future generations.
“For decades, the richness and complexity of Arab culture has been underrepresented in global discourse,” Al Mubarak noted. “Our museums inject these distinct and essential narratives rooted in our histories and cultures directly into the global dialogue.”
The hosting of ICOM in the UAE created a shared platform where Gulf and Arab museum professionals engaged with global peers as active partners in shaping tomorrow’s museum practices, as Abu Dhabi continues advancing its long-term cultural vision as part of a unified national ecosystem.