Zayed Centre

For a fascinating look into the life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE affectionately known as the Father of the Nation, visit the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Centre in Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen district.

This museum, housed in an Emirati heritage-style village replete with camels, is an incredible homage to the man who shaped the nation. A photo gallery of Sheikh Zayed and many visiting regional and international royalty and dignitaries lines the walls of the museum, which is also full of personal memorabilia such as his favourite hunting rifles.

Taking centre stage are the late President’s cherished vehicles – which he often drove through the city without a bodyguard – and gifts he received from all over the world, including taxidermied lions and cheetahs.