Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene keeps heating up, but these are the cultural institutions that are drawing the biggest crowds
Living in Abu Dhabi, you may sometimes take all the cultural gems we have around us for granted – especially when new museums keep popping up.
2025 was a monumental year for the capital, with the opening of teamLab Phenomena back in April, followed by the Natural History Museum in November and the Zayed National Museum in December.
But as more and more cultural institutions join the lineup, the old favourites are still going strong.
According to data shared by the Department of Culture & Tourism (DCT), looking at the first half of 2025, Abu Dhabi’s cultural and heritage sites welcomed over 4 million visitors between January and June 2025.
This marked an incredible 47% increase compared to the same period in 2024, showing just how popular Abu Dhabi is becoming on the global travel stage.
And when it comes to what visitors like to experience while here, DCT have also revealed the top five attractions in terms of visitor numbers.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi came out on top, followed by the Cultural Foundation, which saw an impressive 49% increase year-on-year.
These were the top five cultural attractions in Abu Dhabi in 2025 so far:
- Louvre Abu Dhabi: 784,606 visitors
- Cultural Foundation: 620,709 visitors
- Qasr Al Hosn: 467,398 visitors
- Manarat Al Saadiyat: 207,684 visitors
- House of Artisans: 234,142 visitors
New additions like teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi also started making waves, receiving 145,912 visitors between its opening in April and the end of June.
This momentum meant fantastic growth for Abu Dhabi’s hotels, which welcomed 2.9 million guests between January and June 2025. This represented a 2% increase compared to 2024, and translated to hotel revenues surging by 20% compared to the same period last year.
The Al Ain Region is also seeing a surge in visitors, registering a 12% increase in hotel guests. Cultural sites flourished, with Al Ain Oasis welcoming 401,718 visitors (a 40% increase), Qasr Al Muwaiji attracting 168,042 visitors (nearly 50% year-on-year growth), and Al Qattara Arts Centre seeing a 42% rise, hosting 163,542 visitors.
H.E. Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said of Abu Dhabi’s impressive results: “Our exceptional first-half performance is a powerful testament to DCT Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision and the effective execution of Tourism Strategy 2030. These results are a direct reflection of our deliberate investments in cultural infrastructure, the diversification of our world-class offerings, and our targeted efforts to attract visitors from global markets. This momentum strategically positions us to accelerate toward our ambitious 2030 targets, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a must-visit destination where culture and Emirati hospitality are at its core—offering authenticity, innovation, and immersive experiences.”
With Guggenheim Abu Dhabi joining the party next year, Abu Dhabi is just getting started.
Follow Yalla for all the latest news
