Abu Dhabi landmark joins World’s Most Beautiful Museums list

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum has been named among the World’s Most Beautiful Museums in the 2026 Prix Versailles selection unveiled at Unesco Headquarters in Paris.

Since its introduction in 2024, the World’s Most Beautiful Museums category shortlists seven institutions annually, each competing for three honours: the Prix Versailles World Title, the Special Prize for Interior and the Special Prize for Exterior, with further distinctions to be announced by year-end. 

Set within the Saadiyat Cultural District, Zayed National Museum opened in December 2025 and pays tribute to the UAE’s founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It features six permanent galleries tracing more than 300,000 years of human history, from natural landscapes and cultural evolution to the formation of the emirates.

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Designed by architect Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, the museum spans more than 56,000 square metres and features five steel towers inspired by falcon wings, alongside the Al Masar Garden incorporating native plant species and traditional falaj irrigation systems.

At 123 metres, it is the tallest structure in the district. The towers incorporate advanced environmental systems, acting as thermal chimneys to naturally regulate airflow. Meanwhile, the textured mound-like base reflects the UAE’s topography and also helps insulate the building against solar heat gain. 

Prix Versailles described the museum as “a pure work of art from Lord Norman Foster”. Zayed National Museum remains the only Middle Eastern institution on the list.