Why art and culture lovers should visit Abu Dhabi

We’re sitting in the elegant Fouquet’s French brasserie, tucking into steak tartare and crème brûlée beneath the intricate, silvery dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

After this delectable lunch, my group heads out into the desert to experience an ezba – something between a family farm and a space for storytelling and passing on skills, rooted in Emirati tradition. Our day is a microcosm of what makes Abu Dhabi such an intriguing cultural destination: a beguiling blend of global influences, underpinned by a rich Arab heritage.

Things to do in Abu Dhabi

A great place for clients to start their Abu Dhabi adventure is Qasr al Hosn, the oldest stone building in the city. Originally a watchtower built in the 18th century, it now houses a museum exploring the old Emirati way of life. Exhibits trace the history of the Al Nahyan family, the city’s founding rulers: from their nomadic roots within the Bani Yas tribe to the discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi during the 1950s.

A tour of the fort is also a chance to learn about traditional pearl diving. Our guide, Zayed Sultan, reveals that his own grandfather was a pearl diver and that the thriving industry has been crucial to the city’s growth.

While in the vicinity, clients can pop next door to the House of Artisans to learn about crafts such as Bedouin weaving, Emirati embroidery and boat-building, or check out the latest art exhibitions at the Cultural Foundation.

Monuments in Abu Dhabi

A short drive away, the presidential palace at Qasr al Watan (one of the numerous addons agents can earn commission on, sold via Abu Dhabi-based attraction operator Miral) offers insight into the UAE’s cultural and political heart.

We take a VIP tour with knowledgeable guide Hamad Hajazi, who says the palace is a working government building. “The name means ‘palace for the nation’, symbolising that these doors are open to the public,” he says, as we walk through this stunning example of Arabian grandeur.

With the UAE’s population only about 11.5% Emirati, diversity is a hallmark of this country. A prime architectural symbol of this is the Abrahamic Family House, a groundbreaking complex on Saadiyat Island where a mosque, church and synagogue sit side by side. This symbolic space for dialogue and coexistence opened in 2023 and is, as our guide tells us, meant to be a “welcoming space, both for believers and non-believers”.

Museums in Abu Dhabi

When it comes to museums and art galleries, the Saadiyat Cultural District is Abu Dhabi’s beating heart. The star of the show is the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a striking architectural marvel that opened in 2017 and houses a collection spanning millennia.

Far from being overwhelming, the works are organised around universal themes that anyone can relate to, such as nature, faith and power. “Art is a universal language that everyone can enjoy,” says our guide, Mohammad Almadhaani. Indeed, even little ones can get involved, thanks to the Children’s Museum and free interactive game The Secret of the Dome Stars.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi has recently been joined in Saadiyat by the technology-inspired art collective teamLab, known for its installations in Japan, Singapore, Australia and beyond. New experiential art space teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi plays with a plethora of colours, lights, shapes and textures.

And there’s more excitement in store: by the end of this year, the Saadiyat Cultural District should be complete, adding the Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to the roster of attractions.

Traditional experiences in Abu Dhabi

If your clients have ever wondered what life was like in Abu Dhabi before the skyscrapers, an ezba experience is their chance to step back in time. This traditional desert outing gives clients a glimpse of how the locals once lived, connecting with the land, the animals and the age-old practices that still thrive in the UAE’s rural heartlands.

Naser Almansoori of Ezba Experience introduces us to falconry. His favourite falcon sits beside us as we munch on sticky-sweet luqaimat doughnuts and machboos (akin to biriyani), while Naser tells us about camel rearing and traditional irrigation practices that a standard desert safari experience might miss. “The reason [our business] started is because I saw mistakes in desert safaris that do not really represent the Emirati culture,” he says.

Naser’s brother, award-winning coffee expert Seef, gives us an example as he takes us through the proper gahwa coffee ceremony: from roasting the beans to learning the authentic way to ask for more coffee.

It certainly leaves a lasting impression of Abu Dhabi’s hospitable, humble culture, and I could still smell the delicious cardamom-coffee aroma long after I’d left those desert sands behind.