Dubai Museum

The principal history museum of Dubai, housed in Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest existing building in the city. Built in the late eighteenth century as a coastal defence and later a ruler's residence, the fort now shelters galleries and dioramas depicting old Dubai life, pearl diving, desert survival and the growth of the trading port. Underground halls recreate scenes of the souk, homes and traditional crafts. The combination of the historic fortress and its immersive displays makes it a compact introduction to the emirate's past.