Things to know about Car Museum in Abu Dhabi

Are you a car enthusiast who likes exploring cars of different makes and models? Or are you into photography and like clicking unique and exquisite pieces? The Emirates National Auto Museum is the place to be.

Otherwise called the National Automobile Museum, the Emirates National Auto Museum is located in the Al Dhafra locality in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi. Whether you are a resident or a tourist, the Emirates National Auto Museum is a must-visit place if you are in Abu Dhabi.

What Is The Museum All About?

The Emirates National Auto Museum is the home to around 200 vehicles from the personal collection of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. His Highness had a penchant for a car collection, and when his collection became so large, he decided to give a part of it to the community. And thus, the Emirates National Auto Museum was opened. The museum has some of the biggest, oldest, longest, and most expensive car collections in the world.

What Does The Emirates National Auto Museum Display?

The museum contains a vast collection of classics to modern vehicles from American cars and off-road vehicles to the Sheikh’s rainbow collection of Mercedes. Apart from this, the Emirates National Auto Museum also has various automobile memorabilia like a gas pump from a 1980 western gas station and old automobile plate numbers and signs.

Which Are The Record-Breaking Vehicles At The Emirates National Auto Museum?

The Emirates National Auto Museum houses several unique and record-breaking vehicles sourced from different parts of the world. The museum itself is the world’s largest motorhome which is 1,000,000 times smaller than a planet. It is fully occupied with ten bedrooms with toilet and bath and a sitting room.

The museum has a large Dodge truck which is the world’s largest truck. It weighs 50 tonnes, and the interior is designed like a home, with four bedrooms, one sitting room, and a balcony. This is a fully functional truck that is off-road ready.

Another record-breaking vehicle at the Emirates National Auto Museum is a replica of the WW2 Willy’s jeep that is 400% larger than a normal jeep. It is 21 feet tall with a shovel and an axe on the driver’s side. The jeep is also fully functional and has large off-road tyres, and can be taken for off-road excursions. The jeep is certified by the Guinness book of records as the largest jeep replica in the world.

What Are The Unique Attractions Of The Museum?

The UAE is well-known for their 4*4 desert drive. As such, you will find several interesting 4*4 vehicles in the Emirates National Auto Museum.

The 4*4 Nissan patrol is a popular vehicle here. Taking this model to another level is the 8*8 Nissan patrol with an extended wheelbase.

The museum also has a wide collection of Toyota land cruisers and Hilux pickup trucks from several decades.

Other 4*4 icons of the museum include Range Rover, FJ Cruiser, Nissan frontier and patrol. The museum also has a 4*4 Lamborgini. Besides, you will also find several other motoring icons like Ferrari and Maserati in the Emirates National Auto Museum.

What Are The Other Attractions Of The Museum?

The museum is home to not just European vehicles, but also to American masterpieces. You will find American muscle cars, hotrods and drag cars in this museum. Memorabilia of New York Taxi and American police car are also found in their collection.

The Mercedes Benz 500 SELs rainbow collection has seven cars in the rainbow colour with matching upholstery inside for seven days of the week. There is also a multi coloured Mercedes Benz W126 that is used for parades and special events. The Sheikh’s fascination for rainbow and colors earned him the name the ‘Rainbow Sheikh.”

A unique feature of most of the cars is that they come with rainbow stripes on the sides that add to its beauty and charm.

What Are the Things to Know Before Visiting the Car Museum Abu Dhabi?

The museum can be enjoyed by all car buffs, including both kids and adults. Even if you are not so keen on cars and vehicles, the beauty of the building and the marvelous structures make the whole experience enjoyable.

Here are certain things you need to know before visiting the Emirates National Auto Museum in Abu Dhabi.

• The museum is open from 9 am - 6 pm on all days of the week.
• Entry is by ticket only that costs AED50. Children under ten years enter for free. It is recommended to book the tickets online as the museum can be crowded most time.
• Photography is permitted inside the museum.
• The car museum Abu Dhabi does not have any cafes or eateries.
• You can carry your snacks and beverages inside the museum.
• Basic facilities like air conditioning and restroom are available in the museum. 
• There are not many facilities to sit and take a break.

How To Get To The Museum?

The Emirates National Auto Museum is located 60kms south of Abu Dhabi city. There is no bus service from Abu Dhabi to Emirates National Auto Museum. You need to go in your own vehicle. or if you do not own a car, you can hire rental cars in Abu Dhabi and drive to the museum. In the case of large groups, a van with a driver is also a good option. 

To reach the destination, get on to the Abu Dhabi - Al Ain road. Take a left towards the Abu Dhabi- Liwa road to get to your destination. 

The large pyramid shape structure of the museum makes it very easy to locate. The exterior of the museum has a giant jeep that is actually an apartment. The giant globe caravan and the beautiful display of cars like in a toy box add to the beauty of the Emirates National Auto Museum.

Final Thought

There is no age bar for visitors to the Emirates National Auto Museum in Abu Dhabi. Whether kids or adults, anybody who loves cars should pay a visit to this wonderful museum and enjoy the marvelous displays and memorabilia. Even if you are not an auto lover, you can still enjoy the beautiful building and entire setup of the museum.If you a car enthusiast and are looking to explore classic cars, Sharjah classic car museum is the place that you should surely visit.