Dubai Culture & Arts Authority establishes ‘Dubai Museums Company’

Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has established the ‘Dubai Museums Company’. The new company has been established as part of the Authority’s mandates to support Dubai’s vision of becoming a regional and global focal point for diverse cultural exchange, to manage and oversee the Emirate’s museums, and to preserve and showcase Emirati heritage.

The new company will manage all Dubai Culture’s museums and be responsible for concluding agreements between public and private bodies locally and internationally in all areas related to museum operations and development It will also develop and organise cultural exhibitions, events, workshops, programmes, conferences, seminars and training courses related to the museum sector as well as managing all commercial activities in these museums.

His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention and Chairman of Dubai Culture, commented: “The establishment of the ‘Dubai Museums Company’ is aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai – to make the Emirate of Dubai an ‘open air museum.’ This vision also underpins Dubai Culture’s mandates to preserve the UAE culture & heritage and raise the awareness about them on the global cultural tourism map. In addition, the newly announced company will play a pivotal role in leveraging the Emirate’s current and upcoming museums and to facilitate cultural exchange among the members of Dubai’s dynamic and global society.”

“The mission of the Dubai Museums Company is to develop the Authority’s museums services to ensure that visitors enjoy unique experiences in accordance with international best practices. The company will also develop diverse programmes to strengthen the status of our museums and heritage sites by highlighting their role as vital centres for Dubai’s community to exchange knowledge and cultural dialogue,” he added.

Dubai Culture celebrates International Museums Day
The ‘Dubai Museum Company’ announcement coincides with International Museums Day on Thursday 18th May, held this year internationally under the theme ‘Museums and Contested Histories: Saying the Unspeakable in Museums’. The theme addresses the role museums play in promoting peaceful relationships between people for the benefit of society. It also highlights how the acceptance of a contested history is the first step in envisioning a shared future under the banner of reconciliation.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director General of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, has announced that the Etihad Museum will open its doors for free on International Museums Day. He also confirmed that the Authority will be participating in this celebration on an annual basis to underscore and celebrate the important societal role of museums.

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) invites global cultural institutions of all types to join the celebration, which aims to promote a vision of the future that eliminates borders and barriers, and to encourage exchange between museum experts that will allow them to better serve their societies.

Al Nabouda commented: “Through our participation in International Museums Day, we aim to emphasise that museums are not just sites that provide historical, archaeological and heritage resources, but rather cultural centres that strengthen global links and actively develop society.”

ICOM established International Museum Day in 1977 and it has been steadily gaining momentum ever since. It now has over 32,000 members from 140 countries across the globe, which mark the occasion with a range of cultural and heritage events. Museums are centres that showcase and preserve historical items for future generations, and ICOM believes their central role is to safeguard heritage both inside and outside the museum walls.

Dubai Culture manages over 17 heritage sites across Dubai, each of which showcases the essence and rich heritage of the city. From historical artefacts to a vintage coin collection, there is something for everyone to explore and discover.

Dubai Culture also manages the recently opened Etihad Museum, which tells the inspirational story of the 1971 Union Agreement through the eyes of the Founding Fathers to offer a valuable human insight into the Emirate’s rich history.

Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubai’s cultural scene and draw attention to the Emirate’s rich heritage with a variety of initiatives that take place throughout the year. The Authority’s mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures through enriching initiatives that benefit the Emirate’s citizens, residents and visitors.