The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi costs AED 70 for adults, and everyone under 18 gets in free. It opens from 10am to 6:30pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 8:30pm Friday to Sunday, with tickets booked online for a timed arrival slot. Allow two to three hours to see Stan the T. rex, a 25-metre blue whale, a meteorite older than the solar system and fossils of elephants that roamed Abu Dhabi seven million years ago. Children up to 6 have their own Dino Play area. If you are also visiting the Louvre or the Zayed National Museum, the Saadiyat Museum Pass from AED 120 saves money.
At a glance
- Adults
- AED 70
- Free
- Under 18s, UAE-based seniors 60+, people of determination and companions
- Hours
- Mon to Thu 10am to 6:30pm; Fri to Sun 10am to 8:30pm
- Last arrival slot
- 5pm to 6pm weekdays; 7pm to 8pm weekends
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours; 3 to 4 with young children
- Museum Pass
- AED 120 for two museums, AED 170 for three, valid 30 days
- Where
- Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, next to teamLab Phenomena
Last checked: 13 October 2026 against the museum’s published prices and hours and the Saadiyat Cultural District Museum Pass announcement. Public holiday hours can differ.
On this page
Opening hours
| Day | Hours | Last arrival slot |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 10am to 6:30pm | 5pm to 6pm |
| Friday to Sunday | 10am to 8:30pm | 7pm to 8pm |
| Public holidays and Ramadan | Announced separately | Check the booking calendar |
Your ticket is for an arrival slot; once inside you can stay until closing. Weekday mornings are the quietest, and Friday to Sunday afternoons the busiest, when school groups give way to families.
Ticket prices and who gets in free
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | AED 70 |
| Fazaa and Esaad card holders | AED 45.50 |
| UAE university students 18+ (with ID) | AED 32.50 |
| UAE-employed teachers (with ID) | AED 32.50 |
| UAE military and Homat Al Watan | AED 32.50 |
| Children and teens under 18 | Free |
| UAE-based seniors aged 60+ (with Emirates ID) | Free |
| People of determination and their companions | Free |
| Journalists on assignment, ICOM and ICOMOS members | Free |
Book on the museum’s website, including the free tickets, which still need a timed slot. Some ticket resellers sell adult tickets a little cheaper during promotions; check what is included before you buy.
Single ticket or Museum Pass?
The Saadiyat Cultural District Museum Pass, launched in April 2026, covers the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Natural History Museum and the Zayed National Museum. It is valid for 30 days from first use, and under-18s are free with every pass.
| Your plan | Best buy |
|---|---|
| Only this museum | Single ticket, AED 70 |
| This museum plus one other | Two-museum pass, AED 120 |
| All three museums within 30 days | Three-museum pass, AED 170 |
| Family with children only | Children are free anyway; adults choose a single ticket or a pass |
The pass does not include teamLab Phenomena or the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which opens on 11 December 2026. Our Saadiyat museum guide compares every option.
What is inside
The museum, designed by Mecanoo to look like weathered rock, covers more than 35,000 square metres on a single floor and tells the story of the universe and life over 13.8 billion years, with a special focus on Arabia, in English and Arabic. It opened on 22 November 2025 and is the largest natural history museum in the Middle East.
| Section | What you see |
|---|---|
| Welcome atrium | A herd of long-necked sauropod dinosaurs, before the ticket check |
| The Story of Earth | The Big Bang, the birth of the solar system and a 1.3 kg fragment of the Murchison meteorite, with grains about 7 billion years old |
| The Evolving World | Life from the first cells to the dinosaurs, starring Stan |
| Abu Dhabi 7 million years ago | Fossils from the Baynunah Formation in Al Dhafra, including the four-tusked elephant Stegotetrabelodon emiratus, with a recreated landscape of rivers and grassland |
| Our World | Today’s biodiversity, with the 25-metre skeleton of a female blue whale hung low over visitors |
| Resilient Planet and Earth’s Future | Climate, conservation and how life adapts |
| Theatre | A Journey Through Time, a 20-minute film on the birth of the universe |
| Temporary exhibitions | Changing shows; see below |
Stan the T. rex
Stan is one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found, about 67 million years old and around 12 metres long. In Abu Dhabi he is staged mid-fight with another T. rex over a fallen Triceratops, a scene based on the real bite marks on his bones. Stan was sold at auction in 2020 for a record price and was later confirmed to have been bought for Abu Dhabi.
A route through the galleries by age
| Age | Route | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | Sauropods in the atrium, Stan, then Dino Play (feed a baby Spinosaurus, fly Pteranodon wings, climb a Diplodocus tree-house), then the blue whale | About 2 hours, with a café break |
| 6 to 12 | The meteorite, Stan, the Abu Dhabi elephant fossils, the blue whale, then the 20-minute film; add the education zone or fossil lab activities if running | 2.5 to 3 hours |
| Teens and adults | The full chronological route from The Story of Earth to Earth’s Future, plus the temporary exhibition and the film | 2.5 to 3.5 hours |
Tip for families: Stan and the T. rex fight are dramatic and loud in places; very young children may prefer to see the whale and Dino Play first.
Current and recent exhibitions
- LEGO Shows: Natural Brickstory, a world-premiere LEGO exhibition on 13.8 billion years of natural history, runs until 8 November 2026. Check on booking whether it is included in your ticket.
- March of the Triceratops: The Herd, with the Netherlands’ Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and Wildlife Photographer of the Year, with the Natural History Museum, London, were the opening exhibitions.
The museum runs about three temporary exhibitions a year, plus talks, workshops and family days.
Facilities
- Café: Nayzak, in the entrance atrium, serves hot and cold meals and drinks.
- Shops: two, one in the atrium and one near the temporary exhibition space.
- Access: stair-free, with lifts down to the entrance, a single-floor layout with ramps, and accessible toilets.
- Also: cloakrooms, prayer rooms and free Wi-Fi.
- Parking: free parking was provided when the museum opened; the wider Saadiyat Cultural District has paid parking, so follow the signs.
- Photos: allowed for personal use, without flash.
Getting there
The museum is in the Saadiyat Cultural District on Saadiyat Island, beside teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and across from the Abrahamic Family House, about 15 minutes from central Abu Dhabi and around 1 hour 15 minutes from Dubai by car.
Combine it with
- Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum, with the Museum Pass.
- teamLab Phenomena next door, for immersive digital art.
- Saadiyat’s beaches for the late afternoon.
- The National Aquarium for more animals.
- Things to do in Abu Dhabi with kids: by age and budget.
- Places to visit in Abu Dhabi: the capital by area.
- Dubai landmarks: if you are travelling on to Dubai.
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi FAQs
How much is the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi ticket?
AED 70 for adults. Under-18s, UAE-based seniors aged 60 and over, and people of determination with their companions enter free. Students, teachers and military personnel in the UAE pay AED 32.50.
What are the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi timings?
10am to 6:30pm from Monday to Thursday and 10am to 8:30pm from Friday to Sunday. The last arrival slots are 5pm to 6pm on weekdays and 7pm to 8pm at weekends.
Is the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi free for children?
Yes. Everyone under 18 enters free, but they still need a timed ticket booked online.
How long do you need at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi?
About two to three hours, or three to four with young children who will want to spend time in Dino Play.
Is Stan the T. rex in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Stan, one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found, is the star of the museum’s Evolving World gallery.
Is there a combined ticket with the Louvre Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Saadiyat Museum Pass costs AED 120 for two museums or AED 170 for three, covering the Louvre, the Natural History Museum and the Zayed National Museum, valid for 30 days.