When visitors step into the sweeping atrium of Zayed National Museum this December, many will pause in awe at the magnificent arcs of steel and stone, which resemble falcon wings soaring skyward. Designed by Foster + Partners, the building is both a remarkable sculptural monument and a symbolic landmark: a national museum housed in a structure of architectural brilliance rising from the sands and mirroring the strength and grace of the United Arab Emirates’ cultural heritage.
Read MoreIn the early 1960s, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, invited a team of Danish archaeologists to excavate the Hili site in Al Ain. These excavations were critical to Al Ain, as a result, eleven sites were listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2011. Having grown up in the area, he was deeply familiar with its terrain, and he naturally sensed its historical importance. These excavations revealed evidence of the existence of agricultural oases in the UAE, dating back more than 3,000 years, in addition to a group of artefacts dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Archaeological research in the country has revealed valuable evidence of the existence of life more than 300 thousand years ago. Archaeological research and excavations will remain a priority in the United Arab Emirates; the efforts are ongoing and will continue well into the future.
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