The world’s oldest natural pearl, unearthed off Marawah Island and dating back 8,000 years, will go on display at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed National Museum when it opens this December.
Shaped like a falcon in flight, the building will spotlight the Gulf’s rich history at a time when few major art institutions feature the region’s treasures.
Standout pieces include the 1,100-year-old Blue Quran and evidence of a seventh-century Christian church discovered on an island off the coast of Abu Dhabi in 1959. The museum will also honor the UAE’s founding president and his lesser-known legacy of positioning religious tolerance as part of the nation’s founding fabric. It also anchors Saadiyat Island’s growing cultural district alongside the Louvre and the upcoming Guggenheim Museum.