Building the future on the foundations of the past: Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision after ICOM 2025

This month, the United Arab Emirates hosted the 27th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Dubai.

The event is a milestone moment for our nation and the wider region, and an opportunity to make a distinctively UAE contribution to global conversations about museums and cultural heritage more widely.

In an age of digital immediacy and access to boundless information, it is tempting to ask what purpose museums serve today. Are they still central to our communities — or have their roles been redefined for a new era of connection and creativity?

Whatever our perspective, one thing is certain: the world in which the museums evolve is changing faster than ever before.

Making cultural investment a priority

Around the world, cultural investment is not considered a priority or a necessity; museums are viewed as relics of a slower, less connected age.

In Abu Dhabi, we see things differently. We believe museums are not remnants of the past —they are the foundation of our future.

They are spaces that inspire creativity, nurture learning, and foster the kind of understanding that binds societies together. They spark curiosity in our youth, drive research that resonates far beyond our borders, and enrich the visitor experience in ways that strengthen both social cohesion and economic vitality.

This conviction is not theoretical; it is lived. Even in moments of global uncertainty, Abu Dhabi has held firm to its cultural vision, continuing to invest, to build, and to deliver on commitments made with purpose and patience.

As global cultural leaders gather to discuss The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities at ICOM, Abu Dhabi joins the conversation as a lived example of that vibrant future.

Image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi

Nowhere is this more evident than in Saadiyat Cultural District, where history and innovation meet. Standing before a 19th-century astrolabe, a medieval manuscript, and a contemporary installation, one feels the threads that connect civilisations.

By the end of 2025, Saadiyat will welcome new museums, as the Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi join Louvre Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi soon to follow.

Each tells a distinct story of heritage, science, art, and innovation, together forming a cultural ecosystem that strengthens identity and drives progress. These museums are also intrinsically connected to the Emirate museums and cultural institutions that have been consistently delivered across the years.

Museums are not silent repositories of relics. Every artefact and artwork carries stories that are still unfolding. They mirror how a society sees itself — what it values, remembers, and shares.

Our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, understood this deeply. “A nation without a past is a nation without a present or a future,” he said.

Under his guidance, the UAE’s first museum was announced in Al Ain in 1969, a declaration of a new nation’s commitment to preserving and learning from its heritage.

Continuing the mission

More than fifty years later, we continue that mission. Zayed National Museum will honour Sheikh Zayed’s leadership through the lens of wisdom, humility, and unity — principles that still guide our cultural policy to this day.

Culture is not static. It is a living force that shapes how we understand ourselves and one another. Museums connect generations and anchor identity in a changing world. But they cannot thrive alone. They depend on communities, creative ecosystems, and collaboration that bridges heritage and innovation.

I have seen how one exhibition can reshape a young person’s sense of belonging or spark dialogue between strangers from different continents. That is the quiet, transformative power of culture. Museums help societies navigate uncertainty, promote knowledge and research, and build sustainable futures while contributing to cultural tourism and education alike.

In a nation that is home to more than 200 nationalities, cultural diversity is woven into our society and institutions.

Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates the long history of our shared creativity; Zayed National Museum explores the values of our society through the legacy of our founding father and the ancient cultural connections of our land; the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi tells the story of life on Earth through an Arabian lens.

Louvre Abu Dhabi, UAE Image courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Photo Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Together they invite visitors to see beyond borders and recognise just how much we share.

Through global partnerships and networks like ICOM, Abu Dhabi aligns with international standards of excellence and ethics, embracing ICOM’s new definition of museums as spaces that encourage community participation and foster diversity. In our cultural vision, we reaffirm our belief that museums must be championed and supported.

Our cultural trajectory began with a visionary leader who understood that cultural heritage, knowledge, and creativity are the true engines of progress.

From that foundation, a new cultural landscape has emerged, one that positions Abu Dhabi not just as a guardian of history, but as a new centre of contemporary creativity.

Our museums lie at the heart of this journey, connecting the world through stories that transcend borders and generations.

Today, we invite the world to see what we have built, to witness how a shared belief in the power of culture can transform communities and inspire a new sense of purpose.

Because when history and possibility align, the story continues, and this time we are writing it together.