See & do · Museums
Qasr Al Hosn
Opening hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday: 2:00 – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Images provided by Google Places
Palace & fort around which Abu Dhabi was built, now a museum with cultural programmes & festivals.via Google
The oldest stone building in the city, a former royal palace turned museum detailing local history.
- Good to know
- €, includes access to the House of Artisans.
Reviews from Google
For me personally, the Emirates is a country of culture, mutual respect, and kindness. I cannot imagine life here without the Al Hosn Festival. Every year, I look forward to it with excitement. Once it begins, I visit two or even three times just to fully experience it and carry those beautiful memories with me for the rest of the year. This country truly represents goodness and love. It is something deeply admirable and worthy of appreciation. Thank you for the warmth, the hospitality, and the beautiful spirit that makes this place so special.
Al Hosn Festival is a wonderful annual celebration of Emirati heritage, culture, and creativity. The festival showcases local handicrafts, traditional items, cuisine, and cultural experiences, and the 2026 edition lived up to the same high standards as always. The arrangements were excellent and very well organized, with plenty of traditional performances, engaging display stalls, and a great mix of local and fusion food outlets. One of the standout highlights was the painting exhibition by local artists, along with the free guided tour of the Postal Stamps Museum. Our guide was extremely welcoming and knowledgeable, beautifully narrating the history and evolution of stamps and postal services in UAE history. A truly enriching experience and a must visit festival for anyone interested in Emirati culture and heritage.
Beautiful palace/fortress in the middle of the city. There’s a great exhibition at the entrance providing the backdrop to visiting the actual palace! There’s building itself is beautifully designed with cleverly designed windows towers to bring coolness in during the hot weather! Plenty of shady areas to shield from the heat!
For photographers. Don’t take your camera with you. The security guards will come and tell you to put it away. If you want to take photos with your camera then you have to email them first and get permission to post. It doesn’t make any sense but that’s the rules. Otherwise it’s a pretty place. There should be a little water pond in there but this time there was not sick thing. The place is very photogenic. You’d have amazing background for your photos. But yes. Get permission first if you want to do it with your professional camera.
Tickets can be purchased either online or at the museum shop across the street. Despite the open windows, the entire complex gets extremely warm — it’s best to visit in the evening. It’s also a good idea to read up on the castle’s history beforehand or join a guided tour. Simply walking through and reading the plaques in each room isn’t particularly engaging.