Manarat Al Saadiyat

Manarat Al Saadiyat is a place I’ve been visiting for three years now, and every time it fills me with a fresh wave of inspiration. I visited the gallery yesterday, and once again I was impressed by the exceptional level of organization and attention to detail. You can truly feel the respect for art and for the audience. Many of the works on display stunned me with their depth and professionalism. It’s clear that the curators carefully select each exhibition, creating a space where you don’t just view art - you experience it. As an artist, I deeply appreciate cultural initiatives like this. I sincerely wish exhibitions of this level were held more often and lasted longer, as they genuinely enrich the creative community. I highly recommend visiting, whether you’re an art lover or simply seeking a place to recharge with new ideas and emotions🎨✨

A Must-Visit Cultural Spot in Abu Dhabi We visited Manarat Al Saadiyat during the National Day holidays, and it turned out to be one of the best family experiences we’ve had in Abu Dhabi. This place is perfect for both tourists and residents who want to enjoy arts, culture, and creative activities in a welcoming and beautifully designed space. The outdoor area was decorated so nicely for the occasion — very pretty, festive, and great for photos. The whole environment feels peaceful, artistic, and thoughtfully planned. Inside, the kids’ workshop was a real highlight. It was extremely affordable, which is rare in Abu Dhabi, and the activities were high quality. My child enjoyed dressing up in traditional Emirati clothing, posing at an authentic photography stand, and doing art activities like bag painting and various craft projects. Everything was hands-on, fun, and run by friendly staff who clearly love what they do. There was also a very interesting exhibition inside, which made the visit enjoyable for adults as well. Manarat Al Saadiyat is known for changing exhibitions, so there is usually something new to see each time you visit. Another big positive is their drop-in art classes for kids. These are set up in a super creative, inspiring environment, and are perfect for families who want their children to experience art in a relaxed, modern space. The whole setup feels very “artsy” in the best way — creative, modern, and thoughtfully curated. The facilities are excellent too. There is a lovely coffee shop right at the entrance, great for a quick break, and a restaurant on the side if you want something more substantial. Between the workshops, exhibitions, cafés, and beautiful indoor and outdoor areas, you can easily spend a few hours here. Easy to get by car with spacious parking, taxi drop off and even bus stop is very close.

Its a beautiful place with lots of restaurants and artsy clubs to do activities. You can walk in or reserve space for the activities. We went as a walkin for the pottery activity. It was such a fun experience. You have to follow a video and make it. There are lots of teachers who can guide you as well. Oliver was immensely helpful and knowledgeable

Went with kids to Studio COE to make our own clay mugs and plates. Was super satisfying experience, all kids loved it and couldn’t wait to come again to paint their art pieces. The instructors are wonderful and very skilled and thoughtful. This is a must do activity for kids and adults, for people who are looking for a creative way to break their routine and take a break. I wish if they can increase the time for the painting session to two hours to create better art pieces and have more time to make best use of this comforting experience, it’s like going to spa to pamper yourself in the weekend.

Have been here a few times but visited to go to the Harry Potter exhibition on this occasion. The exhibition was very good, well laid out. There is also a coffee shop just outside the exhibition area as well as other displays that you can view. There is also another restaurant on the premises.

We went for Harry Potter Exhibition. I bought online tickets as a surprise for my hubby, he enjoyed it and we both did! but he enjoyed it more as he’s Harry Potter freak 😍 I wish it was more than 1 hour because the music, setup was very nice. Would recommend Manarat Al Saadiyat as it’s so huge and clean.

A bit unusual—there’s a lot of open space with very little artwork on display. When there’s no exhibition event, the place is extremely quiet. While it’s free to visit, it may not be worth the trip unless a specific exhibition is taking place.

Took a ceramics making class with Liz and absolutely loved the experience. Two hour workshop at a nominal price of 100 dirhams and you get all the art supplies. Liz is super patient and engaging and gives a lot of tips that are particularly helpful if you’re a complete novice. Highly recommended to take the class!