The iconic Etihad Museum in Dubai has won top honours at the Leading Culture Destinations Awards 2017 in London. It won the ‘Best New Museum in the Middle East and Africa’ award and was placed first runner-up in the ‘Best Museum Architecture of the Year’ category.
Etihad Museum officially opened a year ago, tells the story of the birth of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and gives visitors a deeper look into UAE’s past. It chronicles the era before the country’s founding and the subsequent declaration of the Union in 1971. The museum also provides insight and understanding of the constitution and the rights and responsibilities of Emirati citizens.
Etihad Museum, with a distinctive architectural design, was designed by Moriyama and Teshima Architects, a Canadian firm, which has worked on the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. It is surrounded by a historical site that has been restored to its 1971 state.
Seven columns in the museum represent the pens used by the founding fathers to sign the Union Agreement, and even the waterfront reflects the coastline that existed in that period. “All of this gives visitors an evocative glimpse back in time,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, which was responsible for the museum’s design and construction.