Ten more museums for Dubai by 2015

DUBAI - Dubai will have 10 new museums by 2015, according to a senior official with Dubai Municipality.

Director of Architectural Heritage Department of Dubai Municipality Rashad Mohammed Bukhash told Khaleej Times that at least one of them will open to the public by December.

“It will be a tribute to Emirati poet (Mubarak) Al Aqaili and will be located in his old house in Al Ras in Deira,” he said. Al Aqaili, who lived from 1880 to 1954, is dubbed as one of the luminaries of Emirati literature during the 20^th century, particularly classical Arabic poetry. “We have finished the restoration works of the exterior of his house. We are working on the interior now,” said Bukhash.

The poet’s works, photos and other memorabilia will be on display for the public to learn more about his life and times. The museum is expected to attract great interest from the Arab world, particularly from literary enthusiasts.

Another museum in the pipeline will tell us the history of traditional Emirati dresses and their significance. It is slated to be ready in 2012.

“It will showcase the clothes from the early 1900s. There will be different types of dresses worn by men, women and children. You can get to know about the kind of fabrics and colours used by our previous generations, which were mostly imported from India and Pakistan.”

Bukhash said the traditional clothes museum will give an opportunity to track the changes in an Emiratis’ dressing style over the decades.

“Women’s clothes have changed a lot,” he noted.The rest of the new museums planned for Dubai will feature traditional perfumes and other things closely linked to the lives of Emiratis.

Currently, Dubai has 12 museums including the Dubai museum, Shaikh Saeed Al Maktoum house, the heritage house, Al Ahmadiya School, the Camel and Horse museums, and the traditional architecture museum. Bukhash has supervised the design and execution of all of them.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com