Have you been to the Dubai Museum

Dubai - Facility at the 200-year-old Al Fahidi Fort attracts cynical newcomer to long-term residents

"Dubai Museum? I've heard it's rubbish," said a new yet already cynical resident of the UAE about the museum in Al Fahidi neighbourhood.
Ask him whether he's been there, he says no, but stresses he's "heard".
To know the truth behind the hear-says, Khaleej Times took a tour of the museum and spoke to a handful of people who visited the museum on that Saturday afternoon.
But first, a little background.
The museum is located in the compound of the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1787 to defend the city against invasion and was opened as a museum in 1971. The exhibits vary from pearl diving boats to swords and jewellery and a lovely close-to-life spice souk, replete with real smells and actual spices. Besides the displays, the museum also has hologram-like movies, and information stands that showcase lives and times of the Bedouin people from the third millennium B.C. till today.
'Pretty good for a 200-year old fort'
Swarup Chandra, an Indian studying in the US, said he wasn't expecting to see boats in the middle of the compound. He told he thought the museum was impressive, but that some "statues would be nice", and some real life simulations of "somebody doing something" would be nice. To be fair, Chandra hadn't yet gotten to the gallery, the marine section, the souk, where there are real life simulations galore. They even play a recording of market-like sounds, including a convincing rendition of a carpenter sawing away.
'It's my first time to the museum in 7 years'
Russian national Andrey Ricktor said he loves old forts and museums. We saw him photographing the rudders and hulls of the wooden boats in the courtyard.
"I like castles," he said. "There is so much to see, so much history in UAE and Oman."
Ricktor added, "I have always wanted to visit this museum and have been living here for seven years. Today, while we were passing by the museum, I asked my driver to stop the car."
'Visual guide would be helpful'
Tor Marvik, an engineer from Norway said he liked what he saw in the musuem. His one complaint was he wanted "a connecting story" or more visual guides.
"Where do I start from and where do I go next, in order? It's much more modern that what you would expect."
'Some air-conditioning would be nice'
Andrea Lucas from the UK has been living in Dubai for the past two years. She says it's her first time to the museum, and that she's pleasantly surprised.
Having just stepped indoors from the sweltering heat, along with her 8-month-old daughter Maya, Andrea said: "Some air-conditioning would be nice."
But she is relieved to be informed that there's plenty of air-conditioning further inside.
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com