Shindagha Historic District

Bur Dubai


Strategically located at the mouth of Dubai Creek, Shindagha was where the ruling sheikhs and the city elite lived until the 1950s. While a few of the homes have been reconstructed and recast as museums, the area is still lacking new locales, so although it enjoys a lovely position on the Creek, it remains very quiet. A small area is fenced off but once the dust has settled, there will be a new Shindagha Museum, as well as additional exhibits, heritage hotels, cafes and restaurants.

The redevelopment is part of a master plan to create a cohesive historical district on both banks of Dubai Creek in hopes of qualifying for Unesco World Heritage status. The museum promises to be the largest open-air museum in the world.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bur Dubai attractions

1. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House

0.03 MILES

Recently restored as part of the new Shindagha Historic District development, this grand courtyard house served as the residence of Sheikh Saeed, the…

2. Perfume House

0.04 MILES

This waterfront museum is part of the Al Shindagha Museum restoration project and is the former home of a Dubai sheikha who loved all things perfume. The…

3. Crossroads of Civilizations Museum

0.05 MILES

This private museum in the Shindagha Historic District provides a fascinating glimpse of Dubai's historic role as a trading link between East and West. On…

4. Saruq Al Hadid Archaeology Museum

0.07 MILES

Only discovered in 2002, Saruq Al Hadid sits deep in the desert sands of the southern reaches of the Dubai emirate and is believed to have been an iron…

5. Dubai Creek House

0.1 MILES

Step back in time to retrace history at the Dubai Creek House, part of the Al Shindagha Museum restoration project. The Birth of a Nation exhibit takes…

6. Heritage House

0.31 MILES

Closed for renovation until the end of 2019, this 1890 courtyard house once belonged to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Dalmouk, a wealthy pearl merchant and founder of…

7. Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili

0.41 MILES

In 1923 this beautifully restored home tucked into the narrow lanes on the edge of the Spice Souq became the home of Saudi-born Mubarak Bin Al Oqaili …

8. Bur Dubai Souq

0.42 MILES

Dubai's oldest souq (market) flanks a central arcade canopied by an ornately carved wooden roof. Friday evenings here are especially lively, as it turns…