Etihad Museum Launches ‘Teachers Pack’ In Celebration of International Museums Day

Etihad Museum, an entity managed by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated entity for culture, arts and heritage, has launched a ‘Teachers Pack’ as part of the educational programmes to celebrate International Museums Day. This year, the international occasion falls on 18th May and will take place under the theme ‘Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics’.

Dubai Culture partnered with the Ministry of Education and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to launch the ‘Teachers Pack’, which will be distributed among teachers to help them structure their school visits to the Etihad Museum. The pack contains information, guidance and suggestions to ensure that the learning experience is enriched and aligned with school curriculums. It can be used as an extracurricular tool to support students' education and provide comprehensive information about the ‘Union of the UAE’ in the curriculum.

The pack also includes activities that are suitable for primary, middle and high school students to complete at the museum or back at school. They are designed to encourage students to learn through exploration and develop critical thinking and communication skills, supporting the museum’s purpose as a key educational and knowledge sharing centre for students and experts, as well as an iconic source of historical information for future Emirati generations. 

His Excellency Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, commented: “We are delighted to join the world to celebrate this important occasion, which highlights the importance of museums and their role in preserving human heritage. We have chosen the Etihad Museum as it is a dynamic 21stcentury museum focused on inspiring visitors with the story of the founding of the United Arab Emirates. The ‘Teachers Pack’ will help our teachers to share the dedication and commitment of the Founding Fathers to their students, while also highlighting their patriotic spirit to encourage younger generations to follow their example and develop their loyalty to the nation.”

His Excellency added: “Initiatives like this support Dubai culture’s vision to establish Dubai as a global, creative and sustainable city for culture, heritage, arts and literature. It also promotes proactive communication, which is one of Dubai Culture’s key values, and aims to share this skill to future generations. We would like to thank our partners, the Ministry of Education and the KDHA in Dubai, for supporting this initiative and helping us to reach teachers and students.”

His Excellency Marwan Ahmed Al Sawaleh, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs at the Ministry of Education, commented: “The Ministry of Education is always keen to partner with entities and institutions that support our ongoing mission to develop an innovative educational system that enriches knowledge while also preserving the heritage and national identity of students.”

His Excellency added: “We praise Dubai Culture’s efforts to promote the Founding Father’s values among students through the ‘Teachers Pack’, which is part of the ongoing educational programmes that the Etihad Museum has launched in celebration of International Museums Day, stressing on the important role museums play in promoting the UAE’s cultural identity and passing it down to future generations.”

Dr. Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the KHDA, praised the launch of the ‘Teachers Pack’ in celebration of International Museums Day, which also coincides with the ‘Year of Zayed’ initiative,  saying: “The ‘Teachers Pack’  is an important opportunity to enrich the learning experiences of children both inside and outside the school. It will teach new skills for the future and enrich a learners understanding of the culture and heritage of UAE."

International Museums Day is celebrated on 18th May each year and coordinated by the International Council of Museums. On this day, museum directors have an opportunity to connect with the community and offer a range of special activities that highlight the role of museums in the lives of nations and peoples. Through this year’s theme, the focus will be on the how museums are adopting technological advances to reach a wider public beyond buildings and premises, and how they are using social communication channels to enhance visitor experiences and interactions with museums.

Etihad Museum launched a ‘Family Pack’ in celebration of International Museum Day last year, providing children with a range of fun and educational activities to complete as they discovered the museum. The ‘Family Pack’ was part of a series of educational programmes that have been launched by Dubai Culture as the Authority managing the museum’s daily operations.

Etihad Museum is the first political history museum that tells the story of the 1971 Union Agreement through the eyes of the Founding Fathers, as a result of a partnership agreement between Dubai Culture and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Under the agreement, Dubai Culture reviewed the content of the museum, developed the institutional brand and is currently managing the museum's daily operations, while RTA handled the construction of the museum.

The museum is open from 10am to 5pm during Ramadan, seven days a week. In celebration of International Museums Day, the museum will offer visitors free entry on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May.