Photos from Our World

Cultural displays in Musea in the Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has an impressive number of musea, housed in restored old forts and traditional houses that showcase the rich traditions and traditional life of the people, usually with life-size mannequins in full traditional attire. These are some examples from around the Emirates.

The Al-Ahmadiya School in Deira has been lovingly restored. This school was established in 1912 by Sheikh Mohamed Bin Ahmad Bin Damouk and it now displays early education, "Al-Muttawa", where children learn the Qur'an by rote; their teacher has a cane at the ready for swift discipline. A more formal classroom is also displayed. Sharjah, too, has a historic school, the Al-Eslah School Museum; this was the first formal educational institution in the Emirates, set up in 1935 in the original Al-Qasimi School. The Sharjah Heritage Museum in Sharjah city also showcases a school room, with the book stands that were common then. It also has displays of various costumes for men, women and children.

In Ajman's museum can be seen, among others, a display of farming using the traditional "falaj" system of irrigation and a display of life on the shore, with boats and basket weaving. And further afield, the National Museum of Al Ain is a modern building next to the Sultan Fort. It has many displays, including one of men drawing water from a well. And a display of women preparing a bride for her wedding can be seen at the Fort in the Heritage village of Hatta.

	Drawing water	Traditional school	Formal education	Preparing a bride
	Traditional classroom	Bride and groom	Traditional costumes	"Burqa" face mask
	A school room	Woman's costume	"Falaj" system of irrigation	Weaving baskets

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