7. Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation

One of the best museums in the country to focus on Islamic history, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation has fascinating exhibits dating from the early years of the Islamic empire. Many displays feature manuscripts and religious documents, and tourists will find them easy to understand thanks to excellent information boards throughout.

   8. Dubai Museum

Dubai's museum is a great place to get a feel for traditional life before the oil boom transformed the United Arab Emirates. There are good displays about local Bedouin life as well as exhibits exploring how fishing and pearl diving were the economic mainstays until the mid-20th century. The museum is based in the well-restored Al-Fahidi Fort, made of traditional coral-block architecture.

   9. Bastakia

The Bastakia quarter of Dubai is the last remaining fragment of Old Dubai and shouldn't be missed. This small heritage area really evokes the simpler, gentler past of the city before skyscrapers took over the skyline. Narrow lanes are lined with beautifully preserved buildings in typical Arabian architecture styles, many with wind-tower features. There are various museums, where you can enter the houses and see typical Arabian interiors within the quarter, along with mosques and a small surviving segment of the original Dubai city wall.

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