Museum day

Abu Dhabi is a full of some pretty cool history and has a growing cultural and art district. Here are some museum highlights from the week.

Qasr Al Hosn is a national monument and is located at the center of Abu Dhabi. I mentioned seeing it here, but had a second chance to explore inside the walls. This watchtower turned fortress provided protection and new codes of law for the growing settlement on the island. Over the years the fort was expanded with funds used from the first oil concessions to include larger residential quarters for the Sheihk’s family. The building has now been going under extensive conservation efforts to preserve it as a historical monument.

Large square courtyard in the middle.

The beams are mangrove poles that only grow to 3.5 meters. This means no rooms or hallways are wider than this.

The Etihad Modern Art Gallery is quaint gallery and café tucked away on a side street. The gallery has an open door, free admission policy that is playing it’s own part in emerging art scene. In addition to some local photographers, sculptures and artists, we were pleasantly surprised to meet Tinker. Who is Tinker you might ask? He is the first and only junior T-Rex skeleton in the world. Tinker is the first authentic (meaning not a plastic casting of the original) T-Rex to travel abroad. The skeleton was found with another big adult T-Rex which could possibly be the mother and there are hopes they might eventually be showcased together.

We noticed afterwards that there was a no camera sign however this was one rule we were happy to break.

New galleries: There are three more art museums in the process of being built (possibly four). The Louvre, The Guggenheim and The Zayed National Museum. All three will be on Saadiyat Island and the building designs alone are quite spectacular. You must check out the finished product using the links. I would definitely put these stops on my list for future visits!

Suze and I goofing off at a light exhibit during a Guggenheim pre-opening showing.