Dubai Insider

It’s easy to admire Dubai for its
fearless ability to embrace the
future and dream up a city that goes
beyond expectations. From daringly
high skyscrapers to palm-shaped
islands, creativity shines bright in the
emirate, and with many more grand
projects in the pipeline, it’s clear
that Dubai is far from finished when
it comes to its evolution from small
fishing village to mega metropolis.
The most hotly anticipated event in
the calendar, representing a milestone
for the emirate, is Expo 2020 Dubai,
which is taking place from 20 October
2020 to 10 April 2021 and is expected
to attract over 25 million visitors from
around the world. Get set to discover
the 192 country pavilions featuring
narratives from every corner of the
globe, alongside an awesome line-up
of experience and attractions, from
getting a bird’s eye view of the site
from the top of the observation tower
to catching a live performance, it’ll go
down in history as the event of
the decade.
Another visionary attraction in the
works, The Museum of the Future
along Sheikh Zayed Road will wow
you with it’s calligraphy adorned,
ring-shaped structure complete with
gravity defying elliptical void. Inside,
there’ll be exhibitions, immersive
theatre and themed attractions.
Amid the city’s shiny newness, it can
be a challenge to imagine life before
the skyscrapers shot up, but a trip to
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
will set you on the right track. Take a
trip back to pre-1970s Dubai (before
the discovery of oil in 1966) and weave
your way through a maze of beautifully
reserved traditional buildings and
quiet courtyards that house a fantastic
selection of museums, art galleries
and cultural spaces. In the early 1900s
this busy area beside Dubai Creek was
populated by affluent merchants and
bordered by Al Fahidi Fort, which today
houses Dubai Museum. Discover the
dioramas depicting the local culture
and everyday Emirati life through the
decades, as well as artefacts dating to
3000 BCE.
If you want to mix contemporary
architecture with historic tales, make
Opposite: Al Fahidi
Historical Neighbourhood
This page clockwise
from left: Sheikh
Mohammed Centre for
Cultural Understanding;
Richard Hudson’s
‘Love Me’ public art
commission; guests
taking a virtual reality tour
of Expo 2020 Dubai
Overleaf: Street art at
City Walk
39 Culture