Dubai’s Museum of the Future: Was It Worth The Visit?

If you have been to Dubai, you might be curious about the oblate-shaped structure along the city’s main thoroughfare. Before I visited Dubai, I thought it was just another monument, but I was proven wrong when Aya-chan secured great deals for the museum from Klook.

Dubai’s Museum of the Future is an architectural marvel boasting a unique torus-shaped structure and windows etched with letters from a poem penned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Dubai. The poem reflects on the enduring impact of human creativity, acknowledging that while our lives may be fleeting, our creations can leave a lasting legacy. These words have been instrumental in transforming Dubai from a small fishing village into a futuristic metropolis in the desert. They have inspired the creation of numerous more manmade marvels, such as the Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah, solidifying Dubai’s reputation as a global city of innovation and creativity.

We set out for what we thought would be a short walk from our hotel to the museum. However, we ended up getting lost while searching for the pedestrian crossing that would lead us to the museum. What was supposed to be a 10-minute walk ended up taking twice as long as we struggled through the searing heat of Dubai’s summer streets at 9 am.

When we entered the museum through the revolving door, the refreshing cool air from the fully air-conditioned building greeted us. We went straight to the concierge to present the passes we had bought online. In return, the staff gave us chipped bracelets, which served as our entry passes to the museum galleries and also activated certain features and attractions.

Museum Lobby.
The Bracelets.
The Lifts.

The museum, completed in February 2022, features 5 floors of gallery space. Visitors start their journey on the 5th floor and make their way down to the first. There was a short 15-20 minute wait for the elevator, which is understandable given the expected morning crowds. 

5th Floor - OSS Hope

The Fifth Floor leads to OSS Hope, where you can explore life in space in the year 2071 and learn about how future space travel can benefit humanity. This floor features interactive control modules for you to tinker with. Additionally, there is a space suit generator where you can scan your bracelet and see your face displayed on a space suit right in front of you. This was one of the most fascinating attractions in the museum.

Interactive control modules emulating a futuristic space craft.
Probes and other interactive display.
The Space Suit Generator.

$th Floor - The HEAL Institute

The Fourth Floor is named the HEAL institute, emphasizing the future’s ecology and biodiversity and focusing on repairing, restoring, and renewing life on Earth. A specific room preserves “specimens” from the extinct ecological Earth, adding to the fascination of the museum’s galleries.

Preserved specimen from the past.
A display of the futuristic "plan" on restoring the environment.

3rd Floor - Al Waha

The Third Floor is known as “Al Waha,” which translates to “oasis” in Arabic. This gallery features a variety of therapies aimed at helping individuals connect with their senses to stay focused and grounded.

2nd Floor - Tomorrow, Today

The Second Floor gallery is titled “Tomorrow, Today”, and highlights technology that humanity would be expecting in the near future. These technologies would not just make our lives easier but would also address solutions in response to global challenges.

The last floor is the First Floor, which is dedicated to children under 10 and is named “Future Heroes”. Aya-chan and I didn’t have first-hand experience on this floor for two reasons: we didn’t qualify for the required age, and there’s a viewing balcony at the far end of the 2nd floor where you can have an unobscured bird’s eye view of Sheikh Zayed Road.

Views from the Balcony

After our tour, we grabbed a quick snack from Salt on the ground floor and strolled into the museum’s souvenir shop. Did I mention that a robot also operates a small coffee kiosk in the lobby singlehandedly? However, we didn’t experience it because Aya-chan and I hated waiting in long queues. 

The Verdict

So, was the Museum of the Future worth visiting? Or should you shy away and take photos from the outside?

Tickets cost AED 149 (Php 2,200+) from their website and from Klook. We booked a 9:00 AM tour, and the fully guided tour ended at around 11:00 AM. You can stay longer if you’d like, but we had a busy day planned, so we stuck to our schedule.

The tour was eye-opening and made me realize the potential future challenges ahead of us, along with possible solutions to global issues. I definitely think that the Museum of the Future is worth visiting. The architecture and galleries are truly impressive. I hope that in the next few years, they will add more galleries and attractions to enhance their exhibition. Overall, I found our tour truly enjoyable and enlightening.

– RA