Lately, I’ve found myself heading to Abu Dhabi more than usual as the capital is quietly building a cultural identity that feels intentional, architectural, and worth the drive. Much of that comes from Saadiyat Cultural District, where creativity and construction are working hand in hand to shape a new kind of destination. 

My most recent visit was to the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and the experience begins well before you walk through the doors. The honeycomb-like façade layout, with plants emerging from above, or the ceramic, life-sized animals subtly tucked into the landscape, turned my walk to the entrance into an exploration of its own.

Inside, the scale and storytelling shift dramatically as the museum unfolds into a carefully curated journey rather than a conventional exhibition space

Naturally, I left with more questions than answers about how such a complex, expressive structure was envisioned and delivered. To understand the museum structure better, I spoke with three key members of the project team: Judith McAlester, Senior Project Manager, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Nuno Fontarra, Partner/Architect, Mecanoo, and Pavel Pascu, Acting Exhibition Production Unit Head, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, to explore the ideas, challenges, and collaboration that brought the museum to life.