DCT Adds 40+ Sites to Modern Heritage Register, Expanding Legal Protection

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that more than 40 additional modern heritage sites in the emirate have been listed on the Modern Heritage Register and will now be preserved and protected by law.

 

The additions build on the first set of buildings and sites identified in 2022, with the newly confirmed list reflecting dedicated efforts between 2023 and 2025 to document and safeguard Abu Dhabi’s modern heritage.

 

The growing number of registrations underscores DCT Abu Dhabi’s ongoing commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting culturally significant sites, in line with the 2016 Cultural Heritage Law and the Culture Sector’s strategic objective to safeguard heritage, strengthen national identity and enhance public appreciation of the emirate’s diverse assets.

 

The expansion also highlights DCT Abu Dhabi’s leadership in advancing heritage conservation and raising awareness of the emirate’s modern cultural landscape.

 

His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi’s modern heritage is a cornerstone of our cultural identity, offering a powerful reflection of the emirate’s growth and development. By formally registering these pivotal sites, we reaffirm our commitment to recognising, protecting, preserving and celebrating the architectural and urban legacy that has shaped our communities and continues to enrich our collective sense of place.

 

“The ongoing expansion of the Modern Heritage Register attests to the programme’s growing maturity and the dedication of the Modern Heritage Nomination Committee in securing these vital assets for future generations. This continuous progress reflects our conviction that modern heritage provides an essential bridge between our past and present.”

 

While many residents in Abu Dhabi associate these sites with nostalgia, DCT Abu Dhabi is also encouraging the public to play a more active role in identifying, nominating and protecting modern heritage assets, reinforcing the idea that preservation is a shared responsibility.

 

With the inclusion of the new sites, priority will be given to maintaining and rehabilitating them in accordance with their designated grade. Private owners of listed buildings have been formally notified and may file an appeal within the 15-day period stipulated by law.

 

Among the newly listed landmarks is the former Abu Dhabi International Airport – Terminal 1, inaugurated in 1982, which marked a key phase in the emirate’s early aviation development. The Al Ain Museum, founded in 1969, remains one of the UAE’s earliest cultural institutions and a major reference point for the nation’s archaeological and ethnographic heritage. Also included is the former National Consultative Council building (1968) in Abu Dhabi City, which played an important role in early governance and civic dialogue during the federation’s formative years.

 

DCT Abu Dhabi’s Modern Heritage Conservation Initiative aims to preserve sites of cultural, architectural, historical, societal and scientific significance that have contributed to the emirate’s identity. The initiative operates under the Cultural Heritage Law issued in 2016, which provides for the protection, discovery, preservation and management of Abu Dhabi’s heritage, including modern assets.

 

The authority said it will continue surveying the emirate’s built environment to identify additional sites for formal registration and legal protection.

 

The newly listed sites include the H.E. Mohammed Habroush Al Suwaidi Building; ZADCO Building; H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Mohamed Al Nahyan Building (La Brioche Building); H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Tower (Corniche Tower); Madinat Zayed Bus Station; Raha Beach Rest House; Corniche Hospital; Al-Kuwaitat Complex – UAEU Students’ Housing; Green Souk – Bani Yas; Green Souk – Al Shahama; Khalad Bin Swied Al Ansari Mosque; Haseen Rashid Al Hajri Building; National Consultative Council; Former Al Ain City Center Town Clinics; Al Ain City Municipality Campus; Capital Park Urban Ensemble; Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre Abu Dhabi; Hili Archaeological Park Garden; Al Natlah Resthouse (Al Neyadat); Former Abu Dhabi International Airport (Terminal 1); SABIS International School – Al Bateen; Former Delma Island Post Office; Sir Bani Yas Eastern Water Tank; Sir Bani Yas Southern Water Tank; Delma Island Water Silos; Al Dhannah City Water Towers; The International School of Choueifat – Al Ain; Al Jouri Kindergarten; Emirates Post – Khalidiya Post Office; Emirates Post – Hamdan Post Office; Emirates Post – Al Ain Industrial Area Post Office; Al Dhafra Sports & Culture Club; Abu Dhabi Cedar Fountain; Abu Dhabi Geneva Flower Clock; Al Ain Museum; Al Murabaa Police Museum; and Islamiya English School – Abu Dhabi.

 

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