This museum tells the story of the dynasty ruling the emirate of Dubai.
Sheikh Saeed, the grandfather of Sheikh Mohammed, the current ruler of Dubai, was in power from 1912 to 1958. But this house was built a little earlier — in 1896. It is located on the Shindagha peninsula, near the mouth of Dubai Creek: they say that from here Sheikh Saeed liked to watch the arriving ships. Corals collected from the bottom of the gulf were used in the construction of the house. This building is often called a palace, which is a kind of tribute to tradition, since it served as the residence of more than one generation of the Al-Maktoum family. Over nearly a hundred years of its existence, Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House fell into serious disrepair, but at the end of the last century it was restored and granted museum status.
There are 30 rooms in the palace, and during the tour you can see historic photographs of Dubai, including aerial shots. In addition, you can learn about the history of pearl diving here, see family photographs of the Al-Maktoum dynasty, and photographs taken on 2 December 1971 — the day the United Arab Emirates declared independence from Great Britain.
