If you thought time travel was the only way to step into the future - get ready to have your mind blown on your next visit to Dubai. The Museum of the Future invites you to step into 2071. Yes, you read that right.
Its sleek façade of illuminated calligraphy and geometric patterns is designed for natural light to be cast inside the building by day. And at night, it glows with LED lights over 1,024 plates of calligraphy.
Meanwhile, inside the grand atrium, a floating silver penguin flies high above us. No strings attached. Tour guides flank the entrances, their uniforms mildly resemble the cast of Star Trek. This is is just the beginning of a fascinating journey through this seven-storey building, we quickly find out. Here is a glimpse of what is inside.
Space Station Odyssey: Central to the museum's narrative journey, the elevator plays a pivotal role by featuring a simulated OSS Hope, the museum's unique spaceship. This offers guests insight into life on a space station. A digital resident named Aya appears on-screen, priming visitors for departure. Exciting missions, accessible by swiping the provided entry bracelet, invite applications for roles like a Mars Colony Ambassador to Earth or Junior Bio Designer. Through interactive tech, a simple tap and swipe project your face onto life-sized astronaut suits on the screen, enhancing the immersive experience.
A DNA library like no other: Located on the fourth level of the building, The Library of Life fills the corridors of the vast space from the floor to ceiling. Comprising 2,400 crystal specimen jars suspended in concentric, rhythmic being, each etched with a unique image of an existing or even extinct life form, the exhibition takes on the form of a visual encyclopedia, allowing visitors to be immersed in diversity, all concentrated in one place. The sheer scale, the scope, and the number of ‘species’ on display is a humbling reminder of our own place in the vast ecosystems that populate the planet.
Exhale at the spa: Amidst the whirlwind of innovation, find solace at the tranquil Al Waha Spa. A serene sanctuary amidst the bustling exhibits, this space invites you to pause, reflect, and centre yourself. Some of the novel features in this section include 'heatless virtual sand' which encourages people to stand together to form a big circle and a 'Feel Station' which gives visitors a hand massage through supersonic waves beaming from a netted device.
Robotic Marvels: Venture into the dedicated robotics section and prepare to have your curiosity piqued at every stop. Say hello to Ameca, an astonishing humanoid robot whose lifelike movements and expressions engage and amuse. Visitors chatted with her on everything from her maker to her her wardrobe choices to what the future holds - "will machines take over the world one day?" She coyly evaded the question with a smile and a disarming, "I am a friendly robot." And then joked, "But just in case, I have been bolted to the floor so I don't run away when the Museum closes... "
Open everyday from 10 am to 9.30 pm. Tickets priced at AED 149.