Zayed National Museum launches first camel exhibition tracing 7,000‑year history

Exhibition Overview

Zayed National Museum announces its inaugural temporary exhibition, Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art, set to open in early December 2026. Billed as the world’s first comprehensive look at more than 7,000 years of camel history, the show will explore the animal’s role in society, trade networks and creative cultures across the UAE and the wider region, from the earliest traces of wild camels to contemporary traditions.

Archaeological Finds

The exhibition features wild camel bones excavated at Baynunah in Abu Dhabi, dating to the Neolithic period (4500‑4000 BCE), on loan from the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. Also on display are remains from Al Sufouh in Dubai dating to the Bronze Age (2000‑1300 BCE), courtesy of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. This marks the first time detailed evidence of the now‑extinct wild camel species is presented to the public.

Additionally, domesticated camel bones from the Saruq Al Hadid site in Dubai, dating to the Iron Age (2600‑550 BCE) and loaned by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, provide some of the earliest global evidence for the taming and rearing of wild camels into a domesticated species.

Objects and Audiovisual Elements

Object highlights include a rare children’s book from the 1840s that details different camel species and their uses, rock art depicting camels from Fujairah that dates back roughly 3,000 years, and representations of camels on UAE postage stamps spanning the years. Audiovisual components present rare archival photography and film footage, recordings of Taghrooda and Alheda’a (camel calling) – oral traditions inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – and oral testimonies from camel herders and community members.

Public Programme and Retail

The show will be accompanied by a public programme of workshops, activities, tours and family‑focused events, together with a standalone retail offering inspired by the exhibition’s themes.

Dr Peter Magee, Director of Zayed National Museum, said, “We are excited to present our first temporary exhibition, which celebrates the camel’s profound significance in Emirati culture and the broader story of the UAE. Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art represents our mission at Zayed National Museum to deepen understanding of the UAE through original research and meaningful public engagement. Grounded in the latest scientific research and built through collaboration, the exhibition traces the unique archaeological evidence for the presence of wild camels in the UAE thousands of years ago, initial camel domestication in the UAE, camel-human bonds and daily life, culminating in the prestige of Al Hejin camel racing and Mazayna beauty competitions.”

Published: Thu 15 Oct 2026, 10:44 AM Updated: Thu 15 Oct 2026, 10:45 AM By: WAM