The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi officially opened on Saturday 22 November, marking an important cultural milestone for Saadiyat Cultural District. The grand opening event took place in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
The film captures the scale of the event, the atmosphere on site and the first moments of the museum’s debut. It offers a view of the architecture shaped as a terrain of ridges and canyons that lead visitors through narratives of deep time. A concise look at a landmark moment for Abu Dhabi’s cultural landscape.
Covering an area of more than 35,000 sqm, lead architects Mecanoo designed the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi to resonate with natural rock formations, reflecting the museum’s ambition to deepen understanding of and engagement with the natural world. Geometry underpins the entire design, with pentagonal shapes recalling cellular structures. Water and vegetation also play key roles in the composition, offering symbolic references to life and resilience in the desert landscape.
The opening marks a significant step for a museum designed to bring science, education and discovery together. Its spaces are crafted to support future exhibitions, research and public engagement, offering a new cultural anchor for the region.