The ADR Guide: Best Tourist Spots in Abu Dhabi
Zayed National Museum 
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi 
Emirates Palace 
Qasr Al Hosn 
Al Ain Oasis 
Louvre Abu Dhabi 
Qasr Al Watan 
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi
World Tourism Day is on 27 September, so we’ve picked eight tourist spots in Abu Dhabi for you to check out. The list covers early history and heritage, museums, palaces, science, and some seriously futuristic art.
Zayed National Museum
Zayed National Museum tells the story of the UAE through the life and legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father.
The building’s five towers are inspired by a falcon’s wings. Inside, you’ll find stories and objects covering the country’s history, landscape, heritage, and formation as a federation. Be sure to check out the restored 1966 Chrysler Newport featured in the 1968 documentary Farewell Arabia, offering a glimpse into the travels and life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The museum found a matching car in California and restored it with the desert-ready modifications made for Sheikh Zayed.
There’s more to explore outside the galleries too. Al Masar Garden is an outdoor gallery, with native plants arranged across three landscapes inspired by Sheikh Zayed: desert, oasis, and urban. You can also join tours, workshops, performances, and family activities, or stop for Emirati food at Erth, coffee and bites at Al Ghaf Café, and the Garden Cafés.
More info here
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi
Go back further, and we mean a lot further at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. You’ll go on a journey through 13.8 billion years, from the formation of the universe to the evolution of life on Earth.
Stan the T-rex is joined by a 25-metre blue whale and the Murchison Meteorite, which contains material older than our solar system. There’s a fascinating local story here too, with the fossilised remains of an extinct elephant ancestor that once roamed Abu Dhabi.
Inside, the space opens into a series of galleries including The Story of Earth, The Evolving World, Our World, Resilient Planet and Earth’s Future. The museum also looks at what’s happening behind the scenes, with the PalaeoLab and Life Sciences Lab giving you a glimpse into the research taking place here.
More info here
Emirates Palace
You don’t need to stay at Emirates Palace to have a look around. The Corniche landmark is known for its grand domes and gold detailing, but there’s more to see beyond the lobby, from its 1.3km stretch of beach to its restaurants and lounges.
There are a few things you can only really associate with Emirates Palace. Try the Gold Cappuccino, topped with 24-carat gold flakes, or the famous 24-carat ice cream while you’re there.
There’s also 12 dining spots to choose from, including Michelin-starred Italian at Talea by Antonio Guida, Cantonese dishes at Hakkasan, Japanese warayaki at Strawfire, and Indian fine dining at Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi. For something more casual, Episodes is the lobby lounge.
More info here
Qasr Al Hosn
Long before Abu Dhabi had skyscrapers, there was Qasr Al Hosn. The city’s oldest stone building started life in 1761 as a watchtower protecting the settlement’s freshwater well, before growing into a fort and palace that became home to Abu Dhabi’s ruling family and the seat of government.
Inside, you can follow the story of Abu Dhabi from its early days as a settlement built around fishing and pearling to the city it is today. Exhibitions bring together photographs, films, oral histories, and objects from the fort and palace, including a look at the lives of the people who lived and worked here.
And there’s more to see around the fort. Wander through the Cultural Foundation for art exhibitions and workshops, then stop by the House of Artisans to see traditional Emirati crafts such as Sadu (weaving), Khoos (palm-frond braiding), and Talli (embroidery).
More info here
Al Ain Oasis
Swap the city streets for nature and head over to Al Ain Oasis. More than 147,000 date palms fill this huge oasis, with shaded paths, farms, and old irrigation channels winding between them.
The oasis is still watered using the ancient falaj irrigation system, with some of its channels dating back around 3,000 years. The system carries water through the farms and has helped support more than 100 types of plants here for generations.
Walk the paths, hire a bicycle, or hop on an electric buggy if you want to see more of the oasis. Stick around until evening and the oasis changes again, with the paths illuminated as the sun goes down. You can also pop into the free Eco-Centre for interactive exhibits about the oasis and its ecosystem.
We took the 1.5 hour trip to Al Ain Oasis and spent the afternoon and evening exploring the oasis. Watch our reel here.
More info here
Louvre Abu Dhabi
You’ll probably spot the dome before you even get inside. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, its layers of geometric patterns filter the sunlight to create the museum’s famous Rain of Light.
Inside, the collection takes a different approach to the usual museum layout, bringing artworks and objects from different cultures and periods together rather than keeping everything separated by country. You might go from an ancient artefact to a much later painting, with the galleries showing how ideas, people, and cultures have connected across history.
When you’re done exploring the galleries, there are a few places to stop for food and drinks, including Aptitude Café, the Museum Café, Art Lounge, and Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi. Art Lounge also has views across the Abu Dhabi skyline.
There’s usually something else happening alongside the exhibitions too, from art workshops and creative sessions to talks and film screenings to get involved in.
More info here
Qasr Al Watan
Qasr Al Watan gives you a look inside a working presidential palace, where the UAE Cabinet and Federal Supreme Council hold meetings, and official state visits and summits take place.
Start with the Great Hall, with its huge dome, marble floors, chandeliers, and intricate patterns inspired by Arab design. You can then wander through the Spirit of Collaboration, where the UAE Cabinet and Federal Supreme Council meet, and the Presidential Banquet hall, used for official occasions. There’s also the Presidential Gifts exhibition, which displays diplomatic gifts presented to the UAE by visiting heads of state.
You can also pop into the House of Knowledge to see its collection of Arab and Islamic manuscripts, or browse the books and resources at the Qasr Al Watan Library. Stay into the evening and you can catch Palace in Motion, when the palace façade comes to life with a light and sound show.
More info here
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi
At teamLab Phenomena, you’re part of the artwork. Move around the space and you’ll see installations react to movement, sound, light, water, and air, with something different happening as you explore. There’s no set route to follow, either, so just wander through and see what you come across.
In Graffiti Nature, you can draw a creature and watch it appear in a digital ecosystem, where it eats, multiplies, and eventually disappears. Flutter of Butterflies sees butterflies appear from the walls and floor as you interact with the space, while Wind Form changes with the movement of people and the air around it. And then there’s the tea experience, where the tea itself becomes part of the artwork, glowing and producing a sound as it’s made.
More info here
