Inside the museum simulating future life in 2071

Unlike traditional history museums, Dubai's Museum of the Future simulates human life in 2071, marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Museum of the Future (MOTF) in Dubai was inaugurated on 22/2/2022, considered an iconic architectural landmark of Dubai. In 7/2021, before its opening, National Geographic magazine ranked MOTF among the top 14 most beautiful museums in the world. The 77 m tall structure is adorned with 14.000 m of Arabic calligraphy on a stainless steel facade, which also serves as windows.

Museum guides provide commentary throughout the journey. Pictured is a simulation of Dubai in 2071. This area also includes an Amazon rainforest simulation room, recreating images with digital projection technology, simulating temperature, humidity, and the natural layers of scent from plants and damp earth.

The second floor brings viewers closer to reality by showcasing near-future technological solutions currently in research or prototype testing phases, such as smart robots, medical devices utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous vehicles, and new biomaterials.

To visit the museum, guests must book tickets online two to four weeks in advance, as the system does not sell tickets directly at the counter once slots are full. The waiting lobby is typically packed with visitors lining up for entry (previous image).

Visitors ascend to the top floor in a glass capsule elevator, beginning their tour from the top down. Ticket prices start from 169 AED (approximately 1,2 million VND) per person. Emirates airline passengers can purchase integrated tickets through the Dubai Experience service package when booking flights on the airline's website to secure suitable visit times.

Robots interact with visitors via voice.

Visitors receive chip-enabled wristbands in the lobby to activate interactive systems.

Staff direct visitors to queue in groups before entering the elevator compartment. Once the doors close, the space transforms into a simulated spacecraft cabin.

Visitors experience a journey departing Earth with visual interactive effects, including subtle vibrations of the floor, thrilling countdown sounds, and a 3D digital display system simulating the launch sequence through the atmosphere.

The museum permits visitors to record their entire tour. The balcony area attracts visitors for photo opportunities. Xing Liu (in black shirt), a Taiwanese visitor who arrived in Dubai in late February, stated that the museum offers an accessible approach to science and technology, featuring modernly designed spaces and high interactivity.

When the simulated compartment doors open on the top floor, visitors enter the first chapter, set in 2071, marking the 100th anniversary of the UAE's founding.

Here, visitors assume the role of space inhabitants exploring the working environment of the OSS Hope space station. This area features an operations center and an interactive digital map system, illustrating how future humanity will harness solar energy from space and transmit it to Earth for daily life.

Visitors can also interact with screens to learn about future careers in biology and space technology.

The museum is open to visitors daily from 9h30 to 19h30. After dark, the structure radiates brightly in the city center, thanks to LED lights running along the Arabic calligraphy lines.

A highlight of the museum's exploratory journey is a room named the Global DNA Library.

This space is filled with over 2.400 glowing glass test tubes, each containing a 3D digital structural model of a living species, ranging from rare insects and plants to large animals facing extinction.

Visitors can use handheld scanning devices to learn about the genetic information of each species.

The third chapter of the journey takes visitors to Al Waha Oasis, a space designed to confront a paradox of 2071: when technology is oversaturated and inner peace becomes a luxury.

Visitors to this area are encouraged to put away their mobile devices to focus on sensory therapies such as low-frequency sounds, therapeutic scents, and vibrational waves from water, aiming to restore mental balance. This area also serves as a resting spot for visitors after exploring the floors.

From the near-future technology exhibition space on the second floor, a pathway leads visitors to an outdoor viewing balcony. This balcony is built within the asymmetrical void at the center of the building's structure. From this vantage point, visitors can observe panoramic views of Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai's skyscrapers.