Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi to Open on This Date

The much-anticipated Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is set to open to the public on 22 November 2025, marking a significant addition to the cultural landscape of the emirate.

Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, this 35,000-square-metre institution is described as the largest of its kind in the region. 

Designed by the architectural firm Mecanoo, the museum’s exterior evokes the rugged forms of natural rock, inviting visitors into a world where architecture itself becomes part of the story of nature. 

Inside, the museum invites guests on a sweeping journey: its galleries trace the story of Earth from 13.8 billion years ago to the anticipated future, with the aim of framing the narrative through an Arabian lens. 

Fred ELMubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, emphasised the museum’s role in shaping the emirate’s cultural future. “The opening … marks a major milestone in our journey to shape the emirate’s cultural landscape,” he said. The museum emphasises regional fauna, flora and geological history, weaving local context into global natural-history storytelling. 

Among the highlight specimens are the skeleton of “Stan”, a well-preserved 11.7-metre-tall Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, and a 25-metre female blue whale — the largest animal ever known — which offers a dramatic insight into marine biodiversity and evolution. A meteorite from the Murchison meteorite is also on display, bearing organic compounds and presolar grains over seven billion years old, offering rare glimpses of the early solar system. 

The museum’s internal structure is equally ambitious: Permanent galleries will include The Story of Earth, The Evolving World, Our World, Resilient Planet and Earth’s Future. Side galleries such as The PalaeoLab, The Life Sciences Lab, Arabia’s Climate, Beyond the Horizon and The Human Story will provide immersive, specialised experiences. 

Beyond exhibitions, the museum will be a research hub: scientists will pursue studies in zoology, palaeontology, marine biology, molecular research (including DNA and proteomics) and earth sciences. It also serves as a “think tank” for innovation, merging ancient natural systems with modern technologies, for example, a collaborative study revealed that 150-million-year-old pterosaur wing bone structures could inspire lighter, stronger aircraft materials via modern 3D-metal printing.

The opening date of 22 November thus sets the stage for visitors to experience a cutting-edge natural-history institution, deeply rooted in the region, yet globally relevant. The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi promises to be more than a gallery: it is a journey through time, a science-education platform and a cultural icon for the UAE.