One of the city’s most famous landmarks, this ‘living museum’ explores how society could evolve in the coming decades, combining elements of traditional exhibition, immersive theatre and themed attractions. Look beyond the present and towards the future’s limitless possibilities across space travel, climate change, ecology, health, wellness and spirituality. Discover the world’s greatest ideas, prototypes and inventions, and attend special workshops and talks that explore high-tech solutions.
The museum rises to a maximum height of 77 m (252 ft) and its stainless steel and glass exterior is adorned with inspirational quotes penned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which was turned into calligraphy by artist Mattar Bin Lahej.
The exterior is very complex and involved using robots to produce over a thousand different facade panels. It then took around 18 months to install the panels on the building’s structural framework. LED lighting also illuminates the building’s large void.
“Standing 77 meters tall, the avant-garde facade is made of stainless steel and glass, consisting of 1,024 separate panels, each one specially created by robots and algorithms,” explained a press release by the Museum of the Future. “The number of panels has its own significance. It represents a basic unit of the digital information storage system of computers, which is a kilobyte, and each kilobyte is equal to 1,024 bytes. The Arabic script windows cast light into the interior by day and at night illuminate the city’s iconic skyline with 14 kilometers [8.7 miles] of energy-saving, resource-efficient LED lights.
“Due to the building’s complex geometry and flowing calligraphy, each separate panel is unique. No two are alike. Each piece had to be individually precast and produced, with numerous prototypes designed and manufactured before a winning formula could be achieved. Every single panel was produced using automated robotic arms. Each panel is made up of four layers and was created following a complex 16-step process. The precision and focus required to create each panel meant that only several could be produced per day.”
