Al Shindagha Museum

Al Shindagha was the quarter where the ruling family and the merchants lived on the creek, and its houses of coral block and gypsum have been restored into a linked museum spread over several buildings rather than one. Pavilions cover perfume, the creek itself, dress, traditional medicine and the pearling economy that sustained the town before oil, and the house of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, built in 1896, stands at the end with its wind towers and courtyards.

The main sights

• Sheikh Saeed's house - an 1896 courtyard house with wind towers on the creek.
• The perfume house - a pavilion on oud, incense and the making of scent.
• The pearling displays - the diving economy that supported the town before oil.
• The coral-block construction - houses built of sea coral and gypsum plaster.

When to go

November to April for comfortable walking between the houses. Mornings are quietest. Some pavilions close on different days and hours vary.

Good to know

The museum is spread over many separate buildings and covering it all involves a lot of walking in the open. Not all pavilions are open at once. Ticketing between the different houses can be confusing.

Nearby

Old Dubai Souks are across the creek, and Al Fahidi is south.

Key facts