Dubai opens Museum of the Future, most stunning building on the earth

 

Dubai's Museum of the Future 

It is said that predicting the future  is not so easy, Wouldn't it be more interesting to see the beauty and advancement of the future in the form of a museum in such situations.

Dubai, which is known for  its truly incredible architecture, adding another marvel to its portfolio in the form of an amazing building, 'Museum of the Future' (MOTF). Located next to the Emirates Towers on Sheikh Zayed Road, The building is a seven-storeyed elliptical one and is spread across 30,000 sq mt and is 77 metres tall, the same as  the Burj Khalifa and has already been recognized by National Geographic as one of the world’s 14 most beautiful museums.

The giant egg-shaped Museum of the Future officially opened its doors on 22 February, 2022,  with a ceremony to be held at the eye-catching structure, after much delays caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Its stainless-steel exterior is covered with quotes in Arabic calligraphy including, “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it.” AFP via Getty Images

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the iconic landmark during a grand ceremony that saw the Museum's exterior facade transformed into a work of art.   

The building is an epitome of architectural and cultural beauty. It took nine years in the making. The facade alone took over 18 months to complete. The Museum of the Future is deemed as a global centre for inspiration, innovation and the development of solutions to challenges and opportunities in human development, now it has become a permanent exhibition of inspiring visions for the future of humanity. 

Dubai’s ruler described the museum as “the most beautiful building in the world.” Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Building has four layers of composite material panels. Sustainability has been one of the building's main focuses and keeping the highest global standard of sustainability in mind, it is solar powered by a dedicated solar park.

On the eve of its opening the building's striking facade was lit up by a colourful laser light show in the evening as crowds gathered outside to catch a glimpse.  

The futuristic building contains a series of experiential displays that aim to inspire different aspects of futuristic thinking, taking the visitors on a journey to the year 2071.  

Exhibits include a space station simulator via REUTERS

“It is an architectural and engineering marvel, confidently straddling the past and the future and applying advanced technology to traditional art forms,” United Arab Emirates officials said during the opening.

The museum experience is expected to take around two to three hours, Visitors can view prototypes of futuristic technology including mind-reading brain implants and micro weight loss pills, according to the museum’s official website. PCR tests or proof of vaccination are not required for entry.

The project was announced in 2015 and originally slated to open in 2017, according to a report from the official WAM news agency at the time.

The striking architecture of the museum, located on the city’s main artery Sheikh Zayed Road, includes calligraphy quotes made up  from Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's  Arabic poetry. 

The interior spaces have no columns via REUTERS

Of the quotes enveloping the façade, one translates to: “We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone. The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it. It isn’t something you await, but rather create.”

As per Khaleej Times, during the opening ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, "The Museum of the Future is a message of hope, a global scientific platform, and an integrated institutional framework to shape a better future for all of us."

The museum is considered one of the most complex architectural projects in the world

"It embodies the active human imagination and the Emirati will that continues to excel the world. The Museum will be a forum for great minds, scientists, thinkers and experts from around the world," he added.

It was designed by Dubai-based architect Shaun Killa, with a computer-aided design and engineering system in place. This architectural marvel is made of stainless steel and consists of 1024 pieces of art, manufactured using robots which were able to create the demanding shapes.  According to Killa’s website, the empty space in the center of the building’s design represents the “unwritten future into which humanity, and the world can symbolically look towards.”

It stands alongside Dubai’s elevated train line via REUTERS

The Museum of the Future aims to explore the challenges and technologies shaping the future. It will look at a range of issues from climate change to improving medical procedures.

A giant torus ‘eye’ tops this award-winning stainless steel structure.

The design demonstrates the latest in green technology and eco-friendly architecture. It is solar-powered and also includes charging points for electric cars. The building’s windows, waterproofing and insulation are one complete system.

The museum is accessed via two bridges, the first of which extends to the buildings of Jumeirah Emirates Towers with a length of 69 metres, and the second connects it to the Emirates Towers metro station with a length of 212 metres. The museum is fed with 4,000 megawatts of electricity that is produced through solar energy using solar panels connected to the museum.

Sheikh Mohammed address The Museum of the Future as a message of hope

The Museum of the Future consists of three main elements: the hill or plateau from which the building rises, the external design of the building, and the exhibitions of the Museum.

The Museum employs the latest technologies in virtual and augmented reality, big data analysis, artificial intelligence and human machine interaction to answer many questions related to the future of humanity, cities, societies and life on Earth, all the way to outer space.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, managing director of the Dubai Future Foundation said of the museum’s first announcement, “The engineering icon positions Dubai as a testbed for emerging technologies and an exploration base for talents, inventors and creative professionals from all over the world to unravel the greatest challenges that will shape the future of humanity.

"The Museum of the Future is a ‘living museum,’ constantly adapting and metamorphosing as its very environment drives continual and iterative change to its exhibits and attractions-"Gergawi added.