National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah
About This Museum
What immediately strikes you about the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah is its setting; this isn't a purpose-built gallery but history displayed within history, housed inside a formidable 18th-century fort that once protected the city's heart. Stepping through its heavy gates feels less like entering a museum and more like walking directly into the layered past of the emirate. The exhibits, which range from ancient pearl diving equipment to fragile manuscripts, are thoughtfully arranged within the old ruling family's quarters and the fort's former guardrooms. It’s an intimate experience where the building itself is the first and most compelling artifact.
Collection Highlights
You'll find stunning Bronze Age jewelry excavated from local tombs, a complete traditional *areesh* (palm-frond) house reconstructed inside a courtyard, and fascinating accounts of the Qawasim maritime history. Don't miss the room dedicated to the lost art of pearl diving, complete with wooden chests and weighty diving stones that make the practice feel viscerally real.
Visitor Information
It's a compact museum, so you can comfortably see everything in a couple of hours—perfect for a morning or afternoon visit. The old town area around it is quiet and charming, inviting you to wander a bit after you've explored the fort's cool, thick-walled rooms.
Architecture & Building
A classic Emirati fortification made of traditional coral stone and gypsum, with three defensive towers, wind-catching *barjeel* towers for cooling, and a central courtyard that once buzzed with daily life.
Contact & Location
Address: National Museum of Ras al Khaimah, طريق الحصن, مدينة رأس الخيمة, رأس الخيمة, الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Phone: +971 7 233 3411
Website: Visit Website
