Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi Ticket

Qasr Al Watan is a working presidential palace that opened its doors to the public in 2019, and that is what separates it from a museum: these are the rooms where the UAE receives heads of state and holds its councils, not a reconstruction of them. The Great Hall stands beneath a dome 37 metres across, finished in white marble, mother-of-pearl and gold leaf, with a chandelier at its centre weighing several tonnes. The House of Knowledge holds manuscripts and rare volumes tracing Arab contributions to astronomy, mathematics and medicine. Other rooms open onto the presidential library, the council chamber and a gallery of state gifts. In the evening a light-and-sound show is projected onto the palace facade, telling the country's story across the building itself. Allow around ninety minutes to two hours. The palace is air-conditioned throughout; dress is smart casual, with shoulders and knees covered.