On February 22, 2022, the long-awaited opening of the Museum of the Future (MOTF), founded with the support of the Dubai Future Foundation, took place in Dubai. The museum building is located on the city’s main thoroughfare – Sheikh Zayed Road. The exposition is devoted to the potential development of technologies in the coming decades. The concept of the museum is that it will combine permanent exhibitions, immersive theater, and thematic exhibitions. In addition, the headquarters of the «Great Arab Minds» project is located here, the main goal of which is to find 1,000 talented Arab scientists from various fields of science.

The design of the Museum of the Future was conceived by architect Sean Killa. By the way, Killa is not new to solving complex tasks, before that he worked in Dubai on other well-known projects. According to the architect, the shape of the building embodies the vision of the future. The museum consists of three main elements: a green area, the main structure, and an elliptical void in the middle.

«The museum is built on a hill, which symbolizes solidity and stability, and the futuristic structure represents the leadership and creativity of mankind, as well as its ability to exist in harmony with the environment», – says Killa. «The epileptic void inside the structure embodies innovation and everything we don’t yet know about the future».

Tobias Bauly, head of the Museum of the Future project from the Buro Happold company, said that the engineers used digital modeling technologies in their work. Calculations were made with millimeter accuracy, which made it much faster and easier to assemble the facade panels and the steel structure.

According to Bauli, the form of the museum with its exhibition halls reflects our modern understanding of the future. This is one of the world’s most complex and largest construction projects, for the implementation of which a record number of the latest technologies were used.

Hundreds of leading specialists from Buro Happold Engineering, Bam International, and other companies were involved in the implementation of the ambitious project. During construction, advanced construction technologies were used, including 3D modeling.

«Despite the use of the latest technologies and 3D design, many months of manual labor were required to finalize the project. Work was carried out around the clock. The installation of facade panels (which, by the way, were made by robots) and the interior decoration of the building were carried out manually», – says a representative of the Dubai Future Foundation, with the support of which the museum was built.

Designing the shape of the building and its steel frame was carried out using information modeling (BIM). At the same time, such factors as tension in structures and the placement of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems were taken into account.

«Working on this project completely changed our ideas about construction. Due to the unusual shape of the museum, we had to use many unusual solutions. It certainly contributed to the development of the construction industry as a whole», – Bauli said in an interview with BBC Future.

The basis of the exposition of the Museum of the Future will be the achievements of modern technical progress.

Exhibition of the Museum of the Future

The museum exposition tells visitors what the world will be like in 50 years. Here you will see innovations capable of improving the lives of all mankind and strengthening the world economy – from artificial intelligence to augmented reality technologies.

Each floor features interactive exhibits that visitors can interact with. The focus is on the future of space exploration, environmental and climate change issues, healthcare innovations, and spiritual development. Educational courses and master classes of outstanding scientists from around the world will also be held based on the museum.

The Future Heroes space is designed for children aged 3 to 10 years. Here, young guests will be able to develop their abilities playfully.

The cost of an entrance ticket is 145 dirhams. Admission is free for children under three years of age, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens (UAE residents). Tickets can be booked online at the museum’s official website.