Visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The Centre asks visitors for modest clothing in keeping with the customs of the United Arab Emirates. Women may wear any kind of dress provided it is loose-fitting to the ankles and has sleeves to the wrists, with the hair fully covered, and nothing transparent, tight-fitting or revealing. Men may wear any kind of dress, but clothing that covers the whole leg is preferred, and transparent, tight-fitting or sleeveless shirts should be avoided. The Centre publishes a firmer answer too: its FAQ requires long, loose-fitting, ankle-length clothes for women and men alike, with no "preferable" about it, so dress to the stricter of the two.

It also asks visitors to avoid excessive jewellery, heavy make-up and vivid colours, and clothing with slogans or inappropriate images. Come dressed for the mosque: the Centre's pages do not offer clothing at the door, and it states that if its rules and regulations are violated it reserves the right to deny access to the mosque or any of its facilities.

The mosque is open to visitors every day except Friday from 09:00 to 20:30, with last entry at 20:00. On Fridays it opens from 09:00 to 11:30, last entry 11:00, and again from 14:30 to 20:30. That midday closing is for the Friday prayer, and it is the single most common way a visit goes wrong.

In Ramadan the hours change twice. For the first twenty days visitors come from 09:00 to 18:00 and again from 21:30 to 01:00, and on Fridays from 14:30 to 18:00 and 21:30 to 01:00. For the last ten days the evening window closes: 09:00 to 18:00 daily, and 14:30 to 18:00 on Fridays. Separately, the Centre's Sura night tours run from 21:00 to 09:00.

Admission is not free. The Centre's FAQ sets it at AED 10 for visitors from outside the United Arab Emirates, AED 5 for Emirates ID holders and AED 8 for visitors through tour operators, with official delegations charged by the entity that sends them. Worshippers pay nothing and arrange nothing.

Book before you travel. A banner at the top of every page of the Centre's site tells visitors to pre-book the visit and obtain an online access pass, and its Visitor Code of Conduct says visits will not be confirmed without prior booking. Its Individual Booking page also mentions registering at the Visitor Centre's own registration points, so arriving unbooked may work; the access pass is what the Centre asks for, and it is the thing to settle from home. A private tour has to be booked at least 24 hours before the time you want.

The mosque stands between the three bridges that join Abu Dhabi to the mainland, the Maqta, Mussafah and Sheikh Zayed bridges, and visitors enter from Al Salam Gate 6. Parking is in the southern car parks, signposted from the entrances.

The Centre runs no transport of its own: it points visitors to taxis, including TRANSAD on 600535353, to the bus station beside the mosque, and to a shuttle between the mosque and Wahat Al Karama every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 19:15. From Dubai, the simpler answer is a day tour: ours collects you from your hotel and allows about 90 minutes on the road each way, and our Abu Dhabi day trip guide sets the mosque beside Qasr Al Watan and the Louvre if you want more than one stop.

Photographs and video for personal use are allowed, at the photo stops the Centre marks; professional equipment and anything for media or commercial use needs a filming permit from the Centre. Keep your voice down and your phone silent, and avoid any display of affection.

No food or drink is allowed in, water included, because of the marble and the carpet, and smoking is prohibited anywhere on the grounds. Children are welcome but must stay under their parents' supervision throughout. Wheelchairs can be requested from the security staff, and club cars carry visitors between the car parks and the start of the tour.