Museums of the UAE: A celebration of Emirati women in the heart of Dubai’s Gold Souq

The Dubai Women’s Museum – Bait Al Banat, or House of Girls – is a small, thoughtful museum located in Deira, Dubai, in a bustling part of the city with traditional perfume shops and bakeries. The museum, founded by Rafia Obaid Ghubash, opened in 2012 as the first women’s museum in the Middle East. Occupying a 1950s heritage building near the Gold Souq, the museum offers a unique and focused experience on the contributions of Emirati women to society, culture, and the arts.

The museum is divided into three floors, beginning with a section called Memory of the Place, which focuses on the history of the Gold Souq area and the women who contributed to it. The first gallery features a striking installation of niqabs and burqas, prompting visitors to consider the cultural significance before reading any labels. Individual profiles of Emirati women, past and present, are interspersed with everyday objects donated by local families.

On the mezzanine floor, exhibitions dedicated to notable women such as Muneera bint Ahmad Bin Salem Al Mazrou, a traditional healer and photographer from Sharjah, and Hajar Al Khaja, an avid reader and knowledge seeker from Ajman, are featured. The final floor, dedicated to Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the UAE’s most celebrated poet, is a star attraction with golden Arabic calligraphy covering wavy off-white walls and a central display of Al Suwaidi’s personal objects, creating an immersive experience. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm, except on Sundays, and admission is Dh20.