RC28 Conference · Abu Dhabi
What to see and do while you are here.
The city
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, spread across a low archipelago on the Gulf coast. The conference campus sits on Saadiyat Island, within easy reach of the city’s museums, the Corniche, and the older quarters downtown.
The Saadiyat museums and Mamsha Al Saadiyat are a few minutes by taxi from campus; the Corniche and downtown are about fifteen minutes away, while the Grand Mosque, Yas Island, and Al Ain are longer trips worth planning as half-day outings. Mid-April is warm and dry — daytime highs of around 32–33 °C easing to the low twenties after dark — so the museums and the mangroves reward an early start, and outdoor dining comes into its own in the evening.
Nearby
A few minutes from the conference venue by car. Most of these stand together in the Saadiyat Cultural District, alongside the university’s own arts center, which puts on public performances during the semester.
Museum
Jean Nouvel’s domed museum on the waterfront, which hangs its galleries in chronological order rather than by region, so civilizations appear side by side. The dome’s 7,850 metal stars filter the sunlight into what the museum calls a rain of light. Plan a visit (opens in a new tab).
Museum
Frank Gehry’s museum of modern and contemporary art: thirty galleries and ten sculptural cones around a central atrium, with a collection drawn from the 1960s onward and a particular emphasis on artists from West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia. More about the museum (opens in a new tab).
Museum
The national museum of the UAE, in five towers whose form is drawn from a falcon’s wing, tracing the country from its earliest inhabitants to the present across six galleries. Among the objects is an 8,000-year-old pearl. More about the museum (opens in a new tab).
Museum
The largest natural history museum in the Middle East, designed by Mecanoo, with a herd of sauropods, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeletons ever found, and a research programme behind the galleries. Museum website (opens in a new tab).
Art
Seventeen thousand square meters of environmental artworks that respond to the people moving through them, on the Saadiyat waterfront. Tickets and hours (opens in a new tab).
Outdoors
A beachfront promenade of restaurants, cafes, and bars beside the Louvre, about ten minutes from campus. What is there (opens in a new tab).
Further afield
Worth a half day each, and easy to reach by taxi or ride-hailing app.
Landmark
The country’s largest mosque and a deliberate assembly of Islamic architectural traditions, built with craftsmen and materials from a dozen countries. Book a free access pass in advance; entry is AED 10 for visitors and AED 5 for residents. Modest dress is required and provided at the entrance. Visiting hours and booking (opens in a new tab).
Landmark
A working presidential palace that opens to visitors: the circular chamber where the Federal Supreme Council and the Arab League meet, a library of manuscripts, and exhibitions on how the country is governed. Plan a visit (opens in a new tab).
Waterfront
Eight kilometers of waterfront with separate cycle and pedestrian paths, cafes, and a lifeguarded Blue Flag beach, about twenty minutes from campus. The Al Sahil section at Gate 4 is free; the quieter family sections at Gates 2 and 3 charge AED 10. About the Corniche (opens in a new tab).
Old city
The oldest standing structure in Abu Dhabi: a 1790s watchtower that grew into a fort and then a palace, restored over eleven years and opened as a museum of the city before oil. The House of Artisans next door demonstrates traditional crafts. Plan a visit (opens in a new tab).
Leisure
Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World, and the Yas Marina Circuit, twenty minutes from downtown. What is on (opens in a new tab).
Outdoors
A two-kilometer boardwalk through protected mangrove forest, with kayaking and a good chance of herons, turtles, and gazelles. Visitor information (opens in a new tab).
Day trip
Ninety minutes inland, and a full day rather than an afternoon: a UNESCO-listed oasis city watered by an ancient falaj irrigation system, with historic forts and Jebel Hafit rising 1,240 meters above it. About Al Ain (opens in a new tab).
Eating out
A selection across the areas most delegates stay in, from Emirati cooking to international kitchens. Advance reservations are worth making, particularly at peak hours.
| Restaurant | Area | Cuisine |
|---|---|---|
| Al Fanar Restaurant & Café (opens in a new tab) | Yas Island | Emirati |
| Mika (opens in a new tab) | Yas Island | Mediterranean & Middle Eastern |
| Taparelle (opens in a new tab) | Saadiyat Island | French–Italian |
| Antonia (opens in a new tab) | Saadiyat Island | Italian |
| NIRI Restaurant & Bar (opens in a new tab) | Saadiyat Island | Japanese |
| Catch at St. Regis (opens in a new tab) | Corniche | Asian fusion |
| 3Fils (opens in a new tab) | Corniche | Japanese |
| Em Sherif (opens in a new tab) | Corniche | Levantine |
| Dai Pai Dong (opens in a new tab) | Al Maryah Island | Chinese |
| Novikov (opens in a new tab) | Al Maryah Island | Italian & Mediterranean |
| Coya (opens in a new tab) | Al Maryah Island | Peruvian |
Read more
NYU Abu Dhabi publishes a guide to living in the city, written for people arriving for the first time.
Guide
NYU Abu Dhabi's own guide to the city: neighborhoods, getting around, healthcare, schools, and everyday practicalities.
Read the guide (PDF)