Dubai Attractions

Venue: Dubai Museum    When: Daily

Dubai's oldest building, the Al Fahidi Fort (built in 1787) houses the city's museum.

The rooms of the old fort contain a collection of artefacts depicting the social, economic and professional life of Dubai before oil was discovered and changed things greatly. There are archaeological objects such as pottery, stone and metallic items, stone engravings, as well as skeletons which were discovered during digs in the Emirate of Dubai (Hatta, Al Soffoh, Al Qusais, and Al Jumeira). Some pieces date back 4000 years.

A large section is devoted to musical instruments, with displays of drums, flutes, lyres, bagpipes made of goatskin and other locally-made instruments. Deadly weaponry on display includes curved daggers (hanjars), swords, spears, bows and arrows, shields made of sharkskin, pistols and axes. A model of a wind-tower room is an interesting feature of the architecture section, with diagrams and photographs showing different types of wind towers from the older areas of Dubai city.

In the past the fort was used to defend the town from warlike neighbouring tribes. It has also served as the seat of government, the ruler's residence, a store for ammunition and a jail. The walls are built from coral and shell rubble from the sea, cemented together with lime.