Sheikha Latifa being briefed during her visit to the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum at Expo City on Friday.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), on Friday inaugurated the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum at Expo City Dubai.

The opening of the new museum, coinciding with International Museum Day, seeks to underscore the role of museums as dynamic educational hubs that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, enriching Dubai's thriving museum sector and reaffirming its status as a leader in cultural innovation locally, regionally, and internationally.

Sheikha Latifa said that Expo 2020 Dubai exemplifies Dubai's global leadership in innovation and serves to highlight its accent on future readiness. The event showcased the UAE's rich traditions and heritage, introducing them to a global audience united in shaping a bright future. It also helped celebrate humanity's potential, fostering global engagement and connecting people everywhere, and inspiring future advancements, she added.

Sheikha Latifa said: “Dubai, through the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum, continues its pivotal role in activating a sustainable intellectual and cultural movement, by documenting the essence of our historic world exhibition and preserving those memories for future generations. The Expo 2020 Dubai Museum takes its place among a group of cultural destinations and experiences that reflect the importance of Expo City Dubai as a hub for culture and learning, enhancing Dubai’s position as a creative and sustainable global city for culture, heritage, arts and literature, empowering these sectors and helping develop innovative creative projects and initiatives to embody Dubai’s ambitious vision in line with the aspirations of its leadership.”

Following the inaugural ceremony, Expo City hosted a private event at the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum that reflected the themes of the World Expo, with thought leaders exploring the importance of sustainability, technology, and culture, and discussing how society can learn from the past with ambition for the future.

The museum will formally open its doors to the public on Saturday, May 18, which marks International Museum Day.

Dubai is also set to host the International Council of Museums (ICOM) General Conference in 2025, bringing together the international museum community under the theme ‘The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities’ and further strengthening the UAE’s standing as a capital of culture, creativity and innovation. Expo City Dubai and Dubai Culture last year established a dynamic partnership aimed at enhancing the emirate's arts and culture scene.

This collaboration focuses on empowering creatives and young talent, highlighting the Emirati heritage, and reinforcing the UAE's global standing as a creative hub.