What’s Happening in Abu Dhabi This Fall

Museum Mania | Since closing for remodeling in 2018, Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain Museum has been an exciting site of both renovation and archeological discovery. The oldest museum in the UAE, it opened in 1971 with the purpose of telling the region’s history through artifacts dating back to the sixth millennium BCE—a mission that has reached new heights ahead of its reopening.

Led by UAE-based firm Dabbagh Architects, this major transformation project has recently unearthed a pre-Islamic funerary landscape with a 2,000-year-old tomb, along with a sprawling underground irrigation network known as an aflaj from the early Islamic period. These significant finds have helped guide construction, which is set to be completed within the coming months, although an official date has yet to be announced.

The Al Ain Museum is one of several in Abu Dhabi, where a cultural tidal wave has flooded the emirate with an ambitious lineup of new and forthcoming openings. This includes the much-anticipated Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the region’s first branch of the renowned modern and contemporary art institution, which has been in the works since 2006. It brings with it some of the most critical oeuvres of the 20th and 21st centuries, with a considered emphasis on pieces of West Asian, North African and South Asian origin. Designed by Frank Gehry, the museum will soon open on the shores of Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District, joining the ranks of Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi, launched in 2017, and Norman Foster’s Zayed National Museum, which debuts this December.

This is also where Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Natural History Museum, featuring some of Earth’s rarest historical specimens, is expected to complete construction in the coming months. Its highlights include the world-famous skeleton of Stan, a Tyrannosaurus rex; and a piece of the Murchison meteorite containing 70 amino acids, many of which are not found on Earth. The visitor journey will span more than 375,000 square feet and hundreds of thousands of years, as the exhibits narrate the evolution of our planet and humanity. —Katy Gillett

Launching Pad | Iris Projects, which opened last November, has broken new ground as the first commercial gallery in MiZa—a vibrant and burgeoning neighborhood for creatives and entrepreneurs. Founded by Emirati art collector Maryam Al Falasi, the space platforms leading regional talent such as Ajman’s Ammar Al Attar, whose solo exhibition, “Silent Residues,” begins on September 19, tracing the evolution of his multidisciplinary practice. Iris Projects also returns to Abu Dhabi Art in November with works by Saudi contemporary calligrapher Nasser Al Salem and Emirati artist Juma Al Haj, whose approach is a blend of figuration and abstraction. —Basma Faramawy

Opening Credits | Abu Dhabi makes a scene-stealing appearance in the new film, “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” to be released on November 14, with the sleek skyline, sunbaked deserts and striking architecture—notably the dome of the Louvre—all playing a role. The city has been a major movie star of late, featuring in everything from “F1: The Movie” and the “Dune” films to “Mission: Impossible,” “Star Wars” and “Fast and Furious.” —Ty Gaskins

In Creative Company | Writer, art advisor and strategist Myrna Ayad releases “+971: 50 Emirati Creatives Shaping the UAE” (Rizzoli) this October—a first-of-its kind book profiling 50 individuals across the nation. From architects and artists to poets, filmmakers, chefs and more, these are the outside-of-the-box thinkers articulating the cultural pulse of the UAE through different methods and mediums. “The UAE is home to an extraordinary wealth of creative talent that deserves to be seen, celebrated and archived,” says Ayad. “I’ve had the privilege of watching this scene grow… and I wanted to shine a spotlight on those shaping the country’s cultural future.” —Emily Baxter-Priest

Formula One | In F1’s 75th year, the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December will again be the season finale. —Amanda Randone

Dinner and a Show | Opening this fall, Sophia at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island promises a refined take on Mediterranean dining with a menu drawing from 22 coastal cuisines. Its centerpiece bar sees chefs show off their culinary skill as they hand-shape spiced meat to order as part of the traditional Turkish offering çig köfte. This theatrical touch adds flair to the restaurant’s white-tablecloth aesthetic, an atmospheric backdrop for polished, family-style dishes. —Mark Lomas

Stylish Stay | There is no shortage of drama in the desert this season as a new Mondrian rises downtown—not so much a hotel as it is a fever dream in lacquered chrome and Basquiat brights, with sleek interiors by Tristan du Plessis. Set to open later this year under the watch of Ennismore and local developer Aldar, the waterfront escape features 210 rooms and suites spread across a glittering skyscraper with views of the Abu Dhabi canal. —Ty Gaskins

Art Beyond Borders | This November, the world’s creative cognoscenti descend on the UAE’s capital for the return of Abu Dhabi Art. The five-day fair is the culmination of the emirate’s year-round visual arts program, bringing together innovative galleries, exhibitions, talks and performances from across the globe.

The 17th edition, running November 19-23 in the cultural hub of Manarat Al Saadiyat, is the most expansive yet, presenting its largest and most diverse selection of galleries: 142 attending from 36 countries and 52 cities—a 30% increase from 2024. An enthusiastic focus on the dynamic art scenes from often-underrepresented countries such as Nigeria and Turkey will offer fresh perspectives, along with an increase in contributions from Morocco, Japan, China and Italy.

Among a multitude of highlights is Lagos-based gallery kó’s group presentation of pioneering modern artists from Nigeria’s Osogbo Art School, including the works of Muraina Oyelami, Prince Twins Seven-Seven and Jimoh Buraimoh. Another must-see is the special commission by Nigerian textile artist Nike Davies-Okundaye who has designed a unique stage-like creation at the Al Ain Oasis as a setting for the event’s contemporary poetry readings and other performances. —Emily Baxter-Priest