If you’re after a cultural day out with a twist, then head to one of these niche museums instead over the weekend.
The Coffee Museum displays antique from across the world and the Middle East and talks through the origins of coffee
The Perfume House, Old Dubai
Dubai’s Perfume museum delves into both Arabian and Emirati heritage of scents and aromas
If you have a fascination with perfume that runs deeper than shopping the concessions in Bloomingdales, then here’s the perfect spot to awaken your senses over the weekend. Looking into the history of aromas, from raw ingredients and trade routes to ancient incense burners and Arab rituals surrounding fragrance. In fact, you really don’t need to be a beauty buff to become engrossed in this cultural newcomer to Dubai, and the beautiful settings in the Dubai Creek mean you can make a day of the trip. The collections are curated in the home of the late Shaikha Shaikha Bint Saeed Al Maktoum and pay tribute to her craft and her love for traditional, handmade Emirati perfume.
Coffee Museum, Al Fahidi in Bur Dubai
Visit the Coffee Museum in Dubai for a cultural trip with a twist
Since we can’t survive without our morning (and mid-morning and early afternoon) caffeine boost, we really owe it to the energy-boosting beverage to spend a morning learning about its rich history and momentous journey from soil to espresso cup. Located Al Fahidi in Bur Dubai, the museum consists of two floors covering topics such as international antiques, Middle Eastern antiques, the origin of coffee as well as its history and literature surrounding it. Don’t forget to swing by the museum shop to get all the coffee equipment you need, and stop by the cafe to sample a taste.
Museum of Illusions
While the Museum of Illusions it a lot of fun, there is also plenty to learn
Not as quaint and historical as the previous two, but equally a far cry the school trip feel some museums can have. The Museum of Illusions opened in Dubai in mid-2018 and makes for a great family day out. There’s everything from an anti-gravity room, a vortex tunnel, optical illusion mirrors and head-on-platter stations where you can get the Instagram picture to share from your day out. But don’t be fooled, there’s plenty of knowledge to be gained as well as fun to be had.
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