Dubai · United Arab Emirates
Museum of the Future Confirms Closing Date for Current Exhibitions, With New Experiences Due in Early 2027
Dubai's landmark institution will run its present galleries until mid-September before beginning work on a new generation of experiences, shaped by over 1,000 public submissions and timed to its fifth anniversary.
The Museum of the Future in Dubai has confirmed that its current exhibitions will remain open to visitors until mid-September 2026. Work will then begin on what the institution is calling its "next generation of experiences," with the redeveloped galleries set to be unveiled in the first quarter of 2027, timed to mark the museum's fifth anniversary since it opened on 22 February 2022.
The announcement follows directly from the museum's recent global open call, in which residents of the UAE and members of the public worldwide were invited to submit ideas and concepts for the institution's future programming. More than 1,000 ideas and suggestions were received through the museum's official social media channels — a volume of public response that the institution says will directly inform the content of its next chapter.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Current exhibitions close | Mid-September 2026 |
New experiences unveiled | Q1 2027 |
Occasion | Museum's 5th anniversary (opened 22 February 2022) |
Public submissions received | 1,000+ |
Location | Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai (adjacent to Jumeirah Emirates Towers) |
Architect | Killa Design (Buro Happold, engineering) |
What Comes Next
The new phase is described as introducing deeper, more immersive and more interactive experiences, focused on the major scientific and technological shifts expected to reshape economies, societies and everyday life over the coming decades. Further detail on specific exhibitions and programming is expected to be announced in the coming months.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Museum of the Future, reiterated the institution's founding premise in comments tied to the announcement: "Unlike traditional museums that document the past, the Museum of the Future explores what tomorrow could become and the opportunities science, technology, and innovation create for building a better future." He added that "the future is not something we wait for, it is something we create through knowledge, imagination, and action."
A Torus-Shaped Landmark Entering Its Second Chapter
Since opening in February 2022, the Museum of the Future has become one of Dubai's most recognisable pieces of architecture — a seven-storey, torus-shaped building on Sheikh Zayed Road whose stainless steel facade is inscribed with lines from a poem about the future written by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. Designed by UAE firm Killa Design and engineered by Buro Happold, the building achieved LEED Platinum certification in 2023 and grew out of years of future-focused exhibitions first developed for the World Government Summit.
The museum's current galleries span themes including outer space resource development, ecosystems and bioengineering, and health and wellbeing, alongside a dedicated floor for children exploring future skills. The forthcoming closure marks the first major overhaul of that programming since opening — a natural inflection point for an institution whose stated premise is that its content should never stand still.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Renewal
Since its founding, the Museum of the Future has positioned itself as a platform bringing together scientists, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to explore ideas shaping the decades ahead — a role reinforced by hosting the annual Dubai Future Forum since 2022. The decision to close for redevelopment rather than simply refresh individual exhibits in place reflects that same logic taken to its natural conclusion: an institution built around anticipating change eventually has to apply that principle to itself.
For now, visitors have a defined window — through mid-September — to see the exhibitions in their current form before the museum moves into its next iteration.
Related reading
Emaar Reopens Burj Khalifa Open Call, Inviting Artists Worldwide to Light Up the World's Tallest Building
This year's projection design competition drops the AED 100,000 cash prize of 2025 in favour of a longer, fully global submission window — and rules out any AI-generated entries.
Emaar has reopened its Burj Khalifa Open Call, inviting artists, designers and creatives from the UAE and around the world to submit original audio-visual projections for a chance to see their work displayed on the facade of the world's tallest building. Submissions close on 18 August 2026.
Six Landmark Cultural Projects Set to Reshape the UAE's Museum and Performing Arts Scene
From a Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim on Saadiyat Island to a floating art museum on Dubai Creek, six major institutions are set to redraw the country's cultural map over the coming years.
The UAE's museum and performing arts landscape is entering one of its most ambitious build-out phases yet, with six major cultural institutions — spanning Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah — currently in development. From the long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to a floating art museum on Dubai Creek, here is what is coming and when.
Museum of the Future Opens Global Call for Ideas Ahead of Fifth Anniversary
Chairman Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi says transformative ideas "may come from anyone, anywhere in the world" as Dubai's landmark institution invites public submissions for its next generation of experiences.
Dubai's Museum of the Future has launched an international open call inviting residents of the UAE and the public worldwide to submit ideas for its next generation of exhibitions, timed to coincide with the institution's approaching fifth anniversary.