Latest news with #museum
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Al Maqta'a Museum opens the gate to Abu Dhabi's humble beginnings
Tucked within the conserved heart of the Maqta Conservation Area, Al Maqta'a Museum, housed in the lovingly restored Al Maqta'a Fort, offers a glimpse into Abu Dhabi's early days. It is a reconstruction of the former customs house and police headquarters built in the late 1950s, alongside a causeway linking Abu Dhabi Island to the mainland, where officials monitored entry and traffic. It operated as such until 1971, when the unification of the UAE took place, since goods were then no longer required to be checked at this border. It reopened as a small, but information-packed, interactive museum celebrating its socio-cultural and historic importance in April 2025, as a joint project between Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Police. Why go there? This museum might be small, but its story is powerful. As part of Al Maqta Conservation Area, alongside the 18th-century Maqta'a Tower – constructed to strengthen the then-settlement's defences – and the original causeway from the 1950s, it tells the story of Abu Dhabi's transformation from a humble fishing settlement into a thriving modern metropolis. The tower still stands in the middle of the naturally formed waterway (the khor), conserved by DCT – Abu Dhabi to protect it from damage caused by repeated exposure to the marine environment. What you'll see The exhibit begins with a tour of Al Maqta'a Tower, which once guarded the shallow waters of the khor, guarding entry to Abu Dhabi Island. You'll also learn about other fortifications for defence, such as Al Hosn Tower. Moving into the 1950s-era customs house and police station, visitors encounter rugged gypsum‑and‑coral‑stone architecture and interactive zones that emphasise the fort's role as the gateway to the emirate. Highlights include vintage police vehicles, period uniforms and archival documentation that chart Abu Dhabi Police's development through time. A 1968 Toyota FJ43 Soft Top also sits in the museum, the same model of car once used for public transport in Abu Dhabi. This site sits within a broader heritage precinct along the old Maqta'a crossing, where you'll also find buildings and structures of the pre-oil and post-oil periods. Consider pairing your visit with a walk around the tower and nearby conservation structures. Replicas of the bridge and tower make for picturesque photo stops. Children's programming and live police shows, as well as seasonal activations, are also planned for the museum in coming months. Star attraction Right now, a temporary exhibition on Umm an-Nar sits beyond the lovely little gift shop, with an interactive screen that allows you to learn all about the archaeological site and what has been uncovered there in recent years. There's a map of a cemetery and you can click on each grave to learn more about the people buried there. It's fascinating. There's also a medieval Byzantine coin, the first to be found in Eastern Arabia, that was discovered during the tower's restoration by DCT Abu Dhabi – a significant find. What to know before you go This is a great spot for families, with a playground outside and the interactive exhibits are sure to keep older children from getting bored. Visitors are also handed a 'passport' to take around the exhibits, so you can stop at five stations to stamp the document as you go around. It's not an overly flashy space, but rich in narrative, and allows visitors to skim through the exhibits or dive deeper for further information if they want. You'll need at least an hour if you'd like to leisurely wander through and read everything. It's also worth grabbing a coffee and pastry or bite to eat at the restaurant, La Petite, which boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and lovely views of the khor beyond.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Overview of Icelandic Heritage Museum
Julianna Roberts, executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum gives us an overview of what guests can expect to see at the museum.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Upcoming events at New Iceland Heritage Museum
Winnipeg Watch Julianna Roberts returns to discuss upcoming events hosted at the museum in Gimli.
Vogue
a day ago
- Vogue
Art in All Directions: The Fenix Museum Is Changing How We Talk About Migration
On the banks of Europe's largest port—and at the former site of the continent's first Chinatown—a gleaming double helix coils above a former warehouse in Rotterdam's Katendrecht district. This sculptural staircase, designed by Chinese starchitect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects and dubbed 'the Tornado,' anchors the newly opened Fenix Museum of Migration. It's a showstopper, but more than that, the structure poses a question: What does it mean to leave, to arrive, and to begin again? It's a sticky June afternoon when I reach the Fenix. Inside the sunlit lobby, the Tornado glows, its polished steel and warm wood spiraling skyward. You can ride an elevator to the building's roof, where there is a cantilevered viewing platform, but most visitors opt for the climb. I follow a young family with a toddler who squeals as he bangs on the paneling and crawls up the ramp. It feels like boarding a futuristic cruise ship.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Bible belonging to ‘father of modern policing' among exhibits for new museum
A Bible which belonged to a man known as the father of modern policing is set to be among exhibits at a new museum planned for Belfast. The Bible, which dates to 1608, belonged to Sir Robert Peel and will be the oldest item on display at the Museum of Policing for Northern Ireland It is hoped the museum will be completed and open to the public by autumn 2028. It is to be run by a new charitable company within the grounds of the existing police headquarters at Knock Road in east Belfast. The Board of Trustees is to include representatives from the PSNI, the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation and the Police Historical Society (NI), alongside a number of independent members yet to be appointed. Some £5.5 million has been set aside by government to fund the building project, while a further £385,000 has been secured from the Part-Time RUC Reserve pension settlement. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said it will be a facility for the whole community to enjoy. 'I am delighted that we will be able to progress the building of a new museum here at police headquarters,' he said. 'The museum will offer cross curricula and whole-life learning opportunities for schools, students, adults and community groups through exhibitions, educational programmes and engagement activities. 'This will be a facility that the whole community can enjoy as we highlight the ongoing role of policing in conflict resolution, reconciliation and keeping people safe.' Stephen White, of the RUC GC Foundation, said the stories of police officers will be preserved for future generations. 'The foundation is proud to support this project to make the important role of policing more accessible and visible to our communities,' he said. 'It will exhibit the service and bravery of police officers across the decades and ensure that their stories are preserved for future generations.' George Clarke, of the Police Historical Society (NI), added: 'The Police Historical Society is delighted with plans for a new and fitting museum. 'The new facilities will enable us to present and preserve the many artefacts we hold relating to policing in Ireland. 'Our collection contains approximately 12,000 artefacts of a diverse nature including uniforms, medals and other items telling the story of policing from 1814 to the present day; our oldest exhibit is a Bible from 1608 which belonged to Sir Robert Peel. 'We look forward to these being accessible to the wider public to illustrate the history of policing over more than 200 years.'
