Zayed National Museum to Open First Temporary Exhibition on Camel History

Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE, has announced its first temporary exhibition, titled "Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art." Scheduled to open in early December 2026, coinciding with the museum's first anniversary, the exhibition aims to explore over 7,000 years of camel history in the region.

The exhibition will delve into the camel's significance across societal, trade, and artistic contexts within the UAE and the broader Middle East. It will feature archaeological findings, including wild camel bones from the Baynunah site in Abu Dhabi dating back to the Neolithic period (4,500-4,000 BCE). These artifacts, loaned from the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, represent the first public display of evidence for extinct wild camel species in the UAE.

"We are excited to present our first temporary exhibition, which celebrates the camel's profound significance in Emirati culture and the broader story of the UAE," said Dr. Peter Magee, Director of Zayed National Museum. "This exhibition represents our mission to deepen understanding of the UAE through original research and meaningful public engagement." The display will also cover early evidence of camel domestication, human-camel bonds, and contemporary traditions such as camel racing.

Additional artifacts include domesticated camel bones from the Iron Age (2,000-1,300 BCE) found at Saruq Al Hadid in Dubai, loaned by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, providing some of the earliest global evidence of camel taming. The exhibition further incorporates historical books, rock art, postage stamps, and audiovisual elements, including archival footage and UNESCO-recognized oral traditions related to camel handling, as part of the museum's anniversary programming.