The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has listed more than 40 new sites under its Modern Heritage Register. These additions expand upon the first set of buildings and sites identified in 2022, with the newly confirmed list reflecting dedicated efforts undertaken over the past three years (2023–2025) to document and safeguard Abu Dhabi’s modern heritage.
The ever-growing number of registrations emphasises DCT Abu Dhabi’s ongoing commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting these culturally significant sites, in alignment with the 2016 Cultural Heritage Law and the Culture Sector’s strategic objective to safeguard and celebrate cultural heritage, strengthen national identity, and enhance public appreciation for the emirate’s diverse heritage assets.
The expansion further underscores DCT Abu Dhabi’s leadership in advancing heritage conservation and raising awareness of the emirate’s modern cultural landscape.
His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: "Abu Dhabi’s modern heritage is a cornerstone of our cultural identity, offering a powerful reflection of the emirate’s ongoing growth and development. By formally registering these pivotal sites, we reaffirm our commitment to the recognition, protection, preservation, and celebration of the architectural and urban legacy that has shaped our communities and continues to enrich our collective sense of place.
The ongoing expansion of the Modern Heritage Register attests to the programme’s growing maturity and the dedication of the Modern Heritage Nomination Committee in securing these vital assets for future generations. This continuous progress mirrors our conviction that modern heritage provides an essential bridge between our past and present, serving as a reminder that Abu Dhabi’s forward trajectory is strengthened by the stories and spaces that define where we come from."
While many residents in Abu Dhabi connect with these modern heritage sites for their nostalgic significance, DCT Abu Dhabi also seeks to encourage a more active role in their identification, nomination, and protection. This approach reinforces the idea that modern heritage is a shared collective responsibility.
With the inclusion of the additional sites on the Modern Heritage Register, priority will be given to maintaining and rehabilitating them in accordance with their designated grade. As part of the process, private owners of listed buildings have been formally notified of the designation and have been granted the right to file an appeal within the 15-day period as stipulated by law.
Among the new additions is the former Abu Dhabi International Airport - Terminal 1, inaugurated in 1982, a landmark of the emirate’s early aviation era that marked a pivotal moment in Abu Dhabi’s connectivity and infrastructural growth. The Al Ain Museum, founded in 1969, is one of the UAE’s earliest cultural institutions, and has long served as a key reference point for the nation’s archaeological and ethnographic heritage. Another notable site is the former National Consultative Council building (1968) in Abu Dhabi City, which played an important role in shaping early governance and civic dialogue during the formative decades of the federation.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s Modern Heritage Conservation Initiative aims to preserve sites of cultural, architectural, historical, societal, or scientific significance that have contributed to the emirate’s cultural identity. This is in line with the Cultural Heritage Law decreed in 2016 by Abu Dhabi, which focuses on the protection, discovery, preservation, and management of the emirate’s cultural heritage, establishing records for both tangible and intangible heritage, and recognising the inclusion of modern heritage. DCT Abu Dhabi will continue to survey and inventory Abu Dhabi’s built environment to identify and record other sites to be formally registered for preservation and protection by law, as part of the initiative.
The new list of modern heritage sites includes H.E. Mohammed Habroush Al Suwaidi Building; ZADCO Building; H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Mohamed Al Nahyan Building (La Brioche Building); H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Tower (Corniche Tower); Madinat Zayed Bus Station; Raha Beach Rest House; Corniche Hospital; Al-Kuwaitat Complex – UAEU Students' Housing; Green Souk – Bani Yas; Green Souk – Al Shahama; Khalad Bin Swied Al Ansari Mosque; Haseen Rashid Al Hajri Building; Former National Consultative Council; Former Al Ain City Center Town Clinics; Al Ain City Municipality Campus, including Al Ain City Municipality building and the Town Planning Sector building; Capital Park Urban Ensemble, including Capital Park and Garden Tower; Emergencies Crises and Disasters Management Centre Abu Dhabi; Hili Archaeological Park Garden; Al Natlah Resthouse (Al Neyadat); Former Abu Dhabi International Airport (Terminal 1); SABIS® International School – Al Bateen; Former Delma Island Post Office; Sir Bani Yas Eastern Water Tank; Sir Bani Yas Southern Water Tank; Delma Island Water Silos; Al Dhannah City Water Towers; The International School of Choueifat – Al Ain; Al Jouri Kindergarten; Emirates Post – Khalidiya Post Office; Emirates Post – Hamdan Post Office; Emirates Post – Al Ain Industrial Area Post Office; Al Dhafra Sports & Culture Club; Abu Dhabi Cedar Fountain; Abu Dhabi Geneva Flower Clock; Al Ain Museum; Al Murabaa Police Museum; and Islamiya English School – Abu Dhabi.
