Writer Melissa van Maasdyk takes us on a reminiscent journey back through time in Old Dubai
This once bustling stop-off point for boats heading to and from India, China, East Africa and Persia was not only a trading centre but home to merchants, seafarers, boat builders and, most notably, members of the Al Maktoum ruling family, whose residences were clustered on the creek’s western bank close to its mouth in Old Dubai.
Al Shindagha Museum
These days, if no longer visited by ships carrying rich cargoes of spices, textiles, gold and the Gulf ’s legendary pearls, the neighbourhood in Old Dubai is home to Al Shindagha Museum, which transports you back to that time.
This fascinating museum tells Dubai’s story via artefacts and state-of-the-art multimedia displays, housed in some of the area’s original buildings.
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Constructed from mud, coral-stone and gypsum (mined from the creek’s salt marshes), these feature wind towers for cooling, courtyards for privacy, arched doorways and pretty carved wooden balustrades, making traditional Islamic architecture Exhibit A.
Spread over an area of 31 hectares, there are 80 houses altogether, grouped under 22 pavilions devoted to different aspects of the UAE’s heritage, from its sea-faring past to traditional dress and food.
Get your bearings – along with your day pass – at the Visitor Centre, then take a stroll back in time along narrow, winding pedestrian streets, stopping at various houses along the way.
Al Maktoum House and Poetry House
Make sure to include Al Maktoum House in your tour, which was home to Dubai’s ruling family from 1896 to 1958, and tells the story of how they helped to shape this vibrant city.
A short stroll away, along the creek, Poetry House is another must, highlighting the importance of this art as a means of sharing the news and providing entertainment in the days before television and telephones via old video footage accompanied by the narration of poems inspired by the sea, the desert and falcons.
Perfume House
Then follow your nose to Perfume House next door, which takes you on an immersive olfactory journey via various exhibits, including contraptions that allow you to breathe in exotic scents such as oud, jasmine and Taif roses.
Housed in the former residence of Sheikha Shaikha bint Said bin Maktoum (sister of Dubai’s late ruler, Sheikh Rashid), the space showcases some of the utensils and recipes she used to make her own special blends, as well as offering insights into perfume’s many uses in Emirati culture.
For example, in the past, frankincense was burned in clay storage jars before adding drinking water, to prevent it from smelling bad, while to this day, a groom’s clothes are soaked in water perfumed with a few drops of oud to add sweetness to the wedding day.
This is just a taste of what’s on offer in the various houses, but whether exploring the history of perfume, pearl-diving, traditional herbal remedies or handicrafts, a visit to this living museum is both an education and a multi-sensory delight.
The Museum is located in the Al Shindagha Historical District on Dubai Creek (accessible from Al Ghubaiba Metro station or ferry terminal). Book for regular workshops and free guided tours via the museum website alshindagha.dubaiculture.gov.ae
For further information about arts and culture in Dubai, visit Yalla Dubai
