Client : Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (TCA) (Now: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT))

Location : Al Ain- UAE

Year : 2016-2017

Joint Venture : Noon Stride

Al Ain Palace Museum is located at the edge of the Al Ain Oasis in Al Ain City. The Ain Oasis is part of a World Heritage Site (Together with other 16 Sites in Al Ain City such as Al Ain Palace Museum, Jahili fort, Muaiji Palace (residence of Al Nahyan), Myziad Fort, Mohammad Bin Khlifa House, rest of al Ain Oasis and other).
The main objective of this Project undertaken by TCA Abu Dhabi (Tourism & Culture Authority of Abu Dhabi) is to conduct a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) given that previous rehabilitation projects conducted in the 1990s were not supported by a thorough site understanding and site analysis which lead to adverse effects at the level of the Site’s material and form authenticity, serious fabric deterioration, adverse effects on building due to implemented electro-mechanical systems leaving the buildings in serious need of reconsideration and maintenance issues.
 

Furthermore, the Site is in need of reconfiguring its story line, and museographic approach in terms of interpretation and presentation philosophies. Therefore, the much needed CMP for the Site will attempt to:
- Provide a detailed documentation of the existing situation through the production of measured drawings and other documentation approaches.
- Conduct a “State of Conservation Reporting” by evaluating previous “conservation works” that occurred and previous alterations and additions.
- Conduct thorough research on the existing level of authenticity of both material, form and feeling in addition to research Site significance.
- Conduct an evaluation of the physical condition identifying problems and needed repair and maintenance issues.
- Rethinking the Palace Museum’s museographic approach and storyline in term of evaluating its story line (if it existed in the first place), and also addressing issues of future interpretation, presentation, and management.
- Evaluate existing visitors’ experience and provide recommendations for future heritage tourism management and tourists’ experiences enhancement.
- Stakeholder consultation and analysis.
- Develop future “Conservation Vision statement” by exploring different scenarios for future levels of interventions & developing future policies and strategies regarding all of the issues mentioned above including future conservation, maintenance remedial works and repair works, research, tourism management, and museogrpahic approach.
- Finally, the CMP will include design briefs addressing future recommended interventions, improvements, and operations. These will also guide future design developments and implementation.