Dubai’s $500 million date with the future

The Museum of the Future with sections to be built using 3D printing construction techniques is dedicated to futuristic inventions.

Dubai - A $500 million ‘Museum of the Future’ that not only sees the future but also creates it, is Dubai’s newest tribute to mankind.

Set to open in 2017, the strikingly designed iconic ‘Museum of the Future’ with sections to be built using 3D printing construction techniques is dedicated to futuristic inventions, several of which are expected to be generated in the UAE.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled the blueprint for the new museum which is backed by a strong endowment and led by international collaborations.

“His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, our President, has declared 2015 to be the year of innovation in the UAE. Today we show how serious and committed we are to that mission by turning the UAE into a major international destination for innovators,” said Shaikh Mohammed at the launch ceremony.

In a big shift from museums being showcases of exhibits, Dubai is building a new innovation ecosystem with the new project under the motto ‘see the future, create the future’.

The design of the museum was decided through a global contest. “The brief was to take Shaikh Mohammed’s vision for the future and turn it into an ‘object’ that looked futuristic and timeless. And that what we did,” said Shawn, the designer behind the museum.

The cladding of the museum — which will be made of 3D printing construction techniques — will have Shaikh Mohammed’s poems that describe his vision of the future.

A fee will be charged for entrance into the museum though it has yet to be decided what it will be. The museum will be able to accommodate around 900 visitors at a time.

“It reflects a new approach to government innovation,” said Shaikh Mohammed, “as it will use design, technology prototyping and foresight to create real examples of change. The museum is the first of its kind, and represents a leading example of entrepreneurial governments embracing change and creating futuristic visions for a better world”.

“The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it. Here in the UAE we think differently. While others try to predict the future, we create it,” Shaikh Mohammed added.

The Board of Trustees of the Museum will be headed by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, with Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, as vice-president.

To be located near Emirates Towers along Shaikh Zayed Road, the ‘Museum of the Future’ will be built using the latest tech innovations including part of the gallery created using 3D printing.

Several imaginative solutions that address the challenges of future cities are billed to have incubated the museum, bringing a culture of localised high-tech innovation to Dubai.

It will bring together researchers, designers, inventors and financiers under one roof to test, fund and market futuristic prototypes and services. The museum will also serve as a permanent home for the world’s greatest innovations.

With several innovation labs focusing on health, education, smart cities, energy and transport, the museum can be used by tech companies, start-ups and research centres to showcase their inventions.

Visitors can experience the future through cutting-edge simulations and interactive demonstrations.

The creation of the museum reflects Shaikh Mohammed’s vision that a new approach is required for fast-moving, dynamic and uncertain times to create long-lasting innovations that benefit both organisations and society.

The Museum of the Future is founded on the concept that the best way to create these innovations is through forward-looking, design-led technology experimentation and prototyping.

The museum will host scientific conferences and offer advanced courses and specialised workshops on design and innovation. It will contribute to education by developing new curricula and novel approaches to design, innovation and entrepreneurship for students all over the world.

“The world is entering a new era of accelerated knowledge and great technological revolutions. We aim to lead in that era, not to follow and lag behind. The Museum of the Future is the first step of many to come, marking the beginning of great achievements,” Shaikh Mohammed said.