What the Zayed National Museum Means for UAE Culture — And How Bookends Is Part of the Story

The UAE has always been a nation that builds boldly but its newest landmarks show something deeper happening. With the opening of the Zayed National Museum in 2025 and a wave of upcoming cultural and mega-events across the UAE, the country is moving into a new era where creativity, heritage, and community take center stage.

At Bookends, we see this shift every day. When families browse children’s books, when young readers pick up kids books about Emirati heritage, or when someone finds a rare piece of Arabic poetry, it’s clear that stories are becoming part of how people understand a fast-changing UAE.

A Museum Built Like a Story

The Zayed National Museum inspired by falcon wings and rooted in Sheikh Zayed’s values of knowledge, unity and sustainability, feels like a physical book. Each gallery represents a chapter of the UAE’s story: the land, the people, the future.

That blend of heritage and innovation mirrors the kind of reading culture we champion at Bookends. Whether it’s a beautifully illustrated children’s book about the UAE’s beginnings or a powerful autobiography by a regional pioneer, books allow people to connect with the same ideas the museum highlights.

Our community events will tie into this cultural movement too, from storytelling sessions to creative workshops that let young readers express what the museum represents to them.

Cultural Fusion Through Reading

The UAE’s identity has always been a fusion of languages, histories and cultures. At Bookends, we see that every day in the mix of titles our readers reach for — from contemporary fiction and global bestsellers to translated Arabic poetry and locally-focused nonfiction.

To celebrate this cultural mix, we’ve started hosting in-store workshops where visitors can create their own bookmarks, decorate book covers, and explore creative bookmark ideas inspired by Emirati motifs, calligraphy, architecture, and sustainable design. It’s a fun and hands-on way for readers to engage with the same themes shaping the country’s cultural conversation.

And speaking of sustainability, Dubai’s focus on eco-conscious urban development — especially in projects like the Sustainable City Dubai has even influenced some of our upcoming events, where we’ll be using recycled materials in our craft sessions.

Upcoming UAE Mega-Events That Will Shape Culture

2025 is a huge year for UAE culture, with city-wide Dubai events, exhibitions, and global festivals drawing millions of visitors. Events like Global Village’s major anniversary season, GITEX’s expansion into AI and creative industries, and new museum openings are all signs that the UAE’s cultural landscape is flourishing.

For Bookends, this means more opportunities to connect with readers and communities. We’re planning themed displays, cultural reading lists, small pop-up book corners at partner events, and maybe even a traveling book fair that brings authors and readers closer than ever.

These moments help position books not just as products but as experiences that bring people together.

How Mega-Projects Shape City Life and the Way We Read

New stadiums, museum districts, creative hubs, and futuristic neighborhoods are transforming how residents live and connect. But along with new spaces comes a renewed interest in storytelling; people want to understand the history behind what they see being built, and what it means for the future.

This is where reading truly shines. Books about urban design, Emirati history, sustainable architecture, or personal narratives of life in the UAE become tools for understanding the city’s evolution.

At Bookends, we’ve seen more readers ask about UAE-centric titles, local authors, and regional literature — proof that the country’s physical growth is inspiring a cultural growth of its own.

Bookends: Where Culture Becomes Community

Whether someone is looking for the best online website to buy books, browsing our shelves for thoughtful book reviews, or picking out the perfect gift for a young reader, Bookends is becoming more than a bookstore. We’re becoming part of Dubai’s cultural fabric — a comfortable, creative space where stories come alive.

From crafting workshops to poetry nights, from children’s storytelling to curated collections of autobiographies, Arabic poetry, or children’s books, we’re creating a place where every reader, artist, and family can feel connected to the UAE’s evolving cultural identity.

And as the country steps into a future shaped by museums, mega-events, and visionary development, we’re excited to keep telling that story — one book, one reader, one shared moment at a time.