The Zayed National Museum has revealed its educational and community engagement program for April, inviting visitors to explore the history, culture, and heritage of the UAE through guided tours, workshops, and interactive educational experiences. The program features a number of new additions and updates to current programs. On this occasion, the museum building will be illuminated in blue.
On April 13, the 'Morning Hour' program returns for its second session, becoming a monthly event following its inaugural launch last December. The program combines a guided tour with an interactive workshop designed for senior citizens, including individuals with memory impairments and their caregivers. The April session will open with a workshop on eco-friendly botanical printing using traditional Emirati flowers and plants.
Next month will also see an update to the 'Morning Serenity' program, with its duration extended to two hours, from 9 to 11 am. This will provide visitors with disabilities, including those with sensory disorders, with more time to enjoy their museum visit in a calm and welcoming environment.
As part of its efforts to extend its presence beyond the museum, the Zayed National Museum aims to bring facts about its exhibitions, collections, and narratives to various parts of the UAE through its 'From the Museum to the Community' program. This initiative is part of the 'Zayed National Museum Dialogue' series, launching in April. The series will offer a series of talks and discussion sessions hosted by cultural institutions across the emirates, aiming to open a space for dialogue with the community, researchers, and practitioners in the heritage field.
The museum's program, including guided tours and workshops, will continue throughout April. These include bilingual tours: 'Between the Lines of Our History' (also available in Emirati Sign Language) and 'Between Our Museum's Halls', as well as a range of family-friendly workshops such as 'Oasis Weaving', 'Build Your Own Museum', 'Crafting a Calming Necklace', 'Fruit Bowl Pottery Design', and 'Tree of Values'.
The 'Oasis Weaving' workshop highlights traditional weaving practices inspired by Emirati heritage, where participants weave a small rug. The 'Build Your Own Museum' workshop explores architectural ideas inspired by the Zayed National Museum's five steel towers, where participants design a small-scale museum building. In the 'Crafting a Calming Necklace' workshop, participants create a necklace using herbs and natural ingredients traditionally used in the region, learning about the cultural use of aromatic components. The 'Fruit Bowl Pottery Design' workshop introduces traditional pottery techniques, with participants shaping and decorating a ceramic fruit bowl. In the 'Tree of Values' workshop, participants create an art panel using leaves or flowers that represent personal values, inspired by the values associated with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace.
The 'Between the Lines of Our History' tour at the Zayed National Museum provides the history, culture, and stories of the UAE through the museum's exhibits, including the legacy and values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace. The museum shares facts about its exhibitions and collections across the UAE through a special program.
From April 2-5, in observance of World Autism Awareness Day, the museum will host a dedicated event providing a comprehensive and welcoming museum experience for the general public, and specifically for visitors on the autism spectrum, their families, and caregivers. The event will feature films, a dialogue session, workshops, individual and group performances, and interactive programs for visitors on the autism spectrum.
