4 Cultural Experiences to Discover at Qasr Al Watan

Qasr Al Watan’s Unmissable Experiences

Since 2019, Qasr Al Watan has been providing visitors with interesting and unique ways to learn about the UAE’s history and culture. Its zones boast valuable artifacts, books, and other collections that let you dive into the country’s fascinating heritage.

Qasr Al Watan also offers four experiences that immerse you in the country’s fascinating history and culture, which are the following:

1. Palace in Motion

Qasr Al Watan has a light and sound show you shouldn’t miss: Palace in Motion. This immersive presentation tells the story of the country’s past, present, and future vision in three acts.  

The show uses state-of-the-art technology to present the story with the city’s clear night sky as its backdrop. It’s an impressive and delightful modern presentation you shouldn’t miss.

You can watch the Palace in Motion every night at the Qasr Al Watan outdoor grounds.

2. Falcon Experience

Falcons represent strength and are a symbol of pride and honor among the Emiratis. Qasr Al Watan’s Falcon Experience (when available) gives you a closer look at the UAE’s most iconic bird and its role in history.

The Falcon Experience shows how falcons interact with their falconer and lets you learn more about the UAE's falconry heritage. It also allows visitors to ask questions about these majestic birds and take photos with them.

This immersive encounter takes place every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday between 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm.

3. Horse Marshal

The Horse Marshal experience showcases the deep connection between the UAE and its rich equestrian heritage.

The Horse Marshal of Qasr Al Watan leads the horse displays on the palace grounds. This fascinating demonstration highlights their grace, discipline, and role in history.

You can watch the impressive Horse Marshals every day at 4:30 pm.

4. Military Music Show

The Military Music Show brings history to life through powerful performances suitable for all ages. It brings together talented musicians who play compositions that reflect the UAE’s patriotic spirit.

This show honors the country’s military traditions while spreading joy to the community.

The Military Music Show takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 4:00 pm.

These experiences can elevate your visit to Qasr Al Watan.

Qasr Al Watan Zones

The Palace is divided into several zones featuring different exhibits and priceless collections. Here’s an overview of the largest zones:

1. The Great Hall

The Great Hall is the Palace’s masterpiece and serves as the entryway to the other zones. It features an imposing central dome, graceful archways, mirrored cubes, curved glass panels, ornamentation, and mosaic patterns.

The combination of these features makes The Great one of the most impressive rooms you’ll see in your life.

2. House of Knowledge

This zone is home to valuable artifacts and manuscripts demonstrating the region’s contributions to different fields, such as science, art, literature, and astronomy. These include a reproduction of the Birmingham Quran manuscript, which dates back to the late sixth or early seventh century.

Other artifacts worth seeing here are a map of the Arabian Peninsula, which many believe the Venetian cartographer Giacomo Gastaldi made, a centuries-old astronomy atlas manuscript, and Pliny’s Natural History encyclopedia.

3. Qasr Al Watan Library

The Palace’s public library was designed to inspire visitors to read, learn, research, and write. It has a collection of more than 50,000 books, research articles, e-books, and other reading and learning materials from different eras of Arabian scholarship. They cover various fields and topics, including science, history, art, and literature.

Visitors can also use the Internet, computers, and tablets for free to access other learning materials and resources.  

4. Presidential Gifts Hall

This zone showcases the priceless artifacts and valuable diplomatic gifts the UAE received from other countries. The collection highlights the mutual respect and good relationship between the country and other nations.

Some interesting artifacts and gifts you can find here include a Holy Quran from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a traditional rifle from Kuwait, a moon vase from Korea, and hooded falcon masks from Germany.

5. Spirit of Collaboration

This zone, which serves as the official meeting place of the Palace, celebrates the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Its circular shape underscores the importance of equality, unity, and collaboration.

This zone features a massive chandelier made of 350,000 pieces of crystal, another masterpiece of the Palace.

Qasr Al Watan’s other zones are the Presidential Banquet Hall, A Memory From the Palace, and A Celebration of Acceptance.

With Qasr Al Watan’s experiences and zones, you can immerse yourself in the UAE’s culture, history, and heritage, allowing you to enjoy cultural travel at its finest.