Page 69 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Dubai & Abu Dhabi

Bur Dubai ❮❮ 67

Traditional Architecture
9 A DAY’S EXPLORATION OF
Museum
OLD DUBAI
MAP J1 • Al Shindagha waterfront Sheikh Saeed
• Open 8am–2pm Sun–Thu • 04 392 Al-Maktoum
0093 • www.dubaiculture.gov.ae House Heritage Village DEIR A
and Diving
Housed in the beautiful old mansion Village
of Sheikh Juma, this truly excellent Dubai Creek Bastakiah
museum has absorbing displays on Ali Bin Abi Nights
the architecture of Dubai and the UAE. Thalib Rd Majlis
Displays cover the different building Textile Souk Gallery
materials used – stone, mud, coral Al Fahidi Fort Arabian
stone and gypsum – and traditional B UR DUB AI Dubai Tea House
construction techniques. There are Museum Café
also exhibits of old tools and life-size MORNING
mannequins of builders at work.
Start your tour at the Heritage
Sheikh Saeed
0 Village and Diving Village at
10am, where you can learn about
Al-Maktoum House
MAP J1 • Al Shindagha • 04 393 7139 Emirati crafts and the history of
Dubai’s pearling industry. Take a
• Open 8am–8:30pm Sat–Thu, break to sample fresh lemon and
3–9:30pm Fri • Adm mint juice at any of the nearby
Built in 1896 from coral stone covered waterside restaurants.
in lime and sand plaster, this was the Afterwards, head in the opposite
home of Dubai’s former ruler until his direction to explore the rest of
death in 1958. Opened as a museum the Shindagha heritage area (see
in 1986, it contains photographs, pp16–17), including a visit to the
coins, stamps and documents. The museum within Sheikh Saeed Al-
building itself has four windtowers Maktoum House. Following the
and verandas. Photographs from the curve of the creek, you will arrive
1950s to the 1980s show seaplanes at the wooden-arcaded Textile
Souk. Enjoy a browse of the
landing in the creek and reveal the textile and curio stalls here.
extraordinary pace of development. Also peep down the alleyways
Copies of early oil prospecting for views of restored windtowers
agreements with international and small fabric and tailor shops.
companies make fascinating reading At the end of the first covered
on the Trucial Coast “oil rush”. section of the souk, head left to
the creek for a great view across
to Deira Spice Souk (see p26).
Sheikh Saeed Wend your way through to Ali Bin
Al-Maktoum Abi Thalib Rd and to your right is
House the unmistakable Dubai Museum
and Al Fahidi Fort (see p65),
where you can easily spend an
interesting, informative hour.
AFTERNOON
Head along Al-Fahidi St to the
Al Fahidi area where you can
enjoy a leisurely courtyard lunch
inside the restored building of the
Arabian Tea House Café (see
pp18–19). Afterwards, spend
some time exploring Al Fahidi’s
alleys and buildings; don’t miss
authentic cuisine at Bastakiah
Nights (see p18–19) and the bijou
Majlis Gallery (see p38).
See map on p64

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