Heritage House

Heritage House Review

One of the few old buildings left north of the creek, Heritage House belonged to a wealthy merchant family and has been restored to mimic the local fashions of the mid-20th century. The oldest parts of this former home date from the 1890s, but the original structure was modest. In 1910, Heritage House was purchased by a family in the pearl-diving industry and expanded with profits from its business. Ibrahim al Said Abdullah bought the house in the 1930s, and it remained in his family until the Dubai government bought and renovated it during the 1990s.

Each room has a diorama depicting the traditional activities that would have taken place there, including life-size figures who appear focused on prayer, study, embroidery, or cooking over an open stove. Heritage House has re-created an al hilja (bride room), where a bride and her female relatives are staged in ritual wedding preparations. These customs continue today with a bride being bathed and painted in henna before being helped into her ornate trousseau and dowry jewelry.