Art Lover’s Guide to Dubai

Like many modern art districts worldwide, Al Quoz in south Dubai—specifically, its central Alserkal Avenue—was formerly a forgotten industrial quarter. Today, its warehouses are cutting-edge galleries, studios, and artisanal shops and cafes, making it a buzzy cultural hub and epicenter for art events and exhibitions in Dubai. Some street art tours and walks in Dubai showcase the enclave, but it’s worth roaming here independently if you fancy delving deeper. Highlights include The Third Line, whose industrial halls spotlight leading Middle East artists, and the Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai’s biggest art space and host to Western and local works.

While Dubai has a burgeoning contemporary art scene, acknowledging the Arabic roots from which these creative credentials arise is worth acknowledging. The unsung Women’s Museum does precisely that while firmly emphasizing women's contribution to Dubai's art history. Tucked into the Dubai Gold Souk in Deira, its main galleries illuminate women’s role in the local business and educational landscapes, while other areas host paintings, poetry, and calligraphy alongside temporary shows by female UAE artists. The museum can be tricky to find, so consider a guided old Dubai and souk tour to help get your bearings.

Situated in the heart of Business Bay, Foundry has quickly become one of the must-visit contemporary art galleries in Dubai for championing underrepresented and independent artists. One of its points of difference is its role as a co-working space, which means visitors can see artists at work and learn about their creative techniques, as well as explore exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, and photography. There’s also a creative library, podcast room, and cafe to dip into when you’re not admiring the art.

Also called the Bastakia Quarter, the Al Fahidi Historical District is a picture-perfect slice of old Dubai. Its warren of mud-brick alleyways, courtyards, and wind-tower houses hide intimate shops, coffee houses, museums, and galleries that celebrate Emirati heritage, making it one of Dubai's leading cultural landmarks for art lovers. Many old Dubai sightseeing tours give you time to wander this restored enclave, perhaps to discover arty spots like the XVA Gallery, a boutique cafe-hotel-art complex, or the Majlis Gallery, which hosts permanent collections of fine art and ceramics redolent of Dubai’s Bedouin past.

Dubai art attractions aren’t much more progressive than the Dubai Design District, or d3. This stylish, free-to-enter hub combines art, design, and fashion in various boutiques, concept stores, galleries, co-working spaces, businesses, and public cultural and art events. If you fancy snapping up a creative souvenir, you’ll find plenty to inspire, from designer pottery to artsy rugs. Bold murals are another drawcard: don’t miss the 360-degree artwork by British-Iraqi artist Marwan Shakarchi in the underground car park.

Less art gallery, more journey into the future of art, the Theater of Digital Art—TODA for short—in the upscale Souk Madinat Jumeirah leads the way when it comes to unique art experiences in Dubai. Its high points are immersive, digital reconstructions of famous pieces by greats like Klimt, Monet, and Picasso, which envelop you in vibrating visuals and surround sound, putting you in the center of each artwork. To get here, think about catching a Dubai hop-on hop-off bus—many stop outside the souk.

A stack of geometric white cubes overlooking Dubai Creek, this gleaming modern gallery encapsulates Dubai's emerging contemporary art scene. After admiring its minimalist exterior, step inside to take in the rotating exhibitions by up-and-coming and established artists from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Ranging from sound installations to cutting-edge videos and sketches, the works may be out there but are always thought-provoking. Make the most of a visit by pairing it with the city panoramas from the Dubai Frame, just a short cab ride away.

Looping the Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai, this showcase boulevard boasts one of Dubai's most striking processions of public art installations. Stroll from end to end to see outdoor sculptures reflecting the interests of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Among them are Camels, a life-size depiction of Arabian camels, and the Wings of Mexico, a pair of golden wings forming a ready-made photo op with the Burj Khalifa as a backdrop. Admire some pieces on a Dubai city tour that visits the Downtown area or combine your sculpture-strolling with tickets to the Burj Khalifa for spectacular views.

Cast your eyes over powerful wall artworks by globally renowned artists at Dubai’s family-friendly City Walk lifestyle and entertainment precinct. This part-indoor, part-outdoor mall near Downtown Dubai bills itself as a creative, shopping, and dining hub and punctuates its chi-chi shops, coffee houses, patisseries, and boutiques with in-your-face murals. Unmissable pieces include the pop art iconography of Londoner Dean Stockton and a giant carved portrait of a Bedouin by Portuguese artist Vihls.

View some of the biggest must-see artworks in Dubai while scouting out Asian-style bargains at Al Karama in the city’s old Bur Dubai district. While this predominantly Asian-expat shopping neighborhood is riven with mostly drab, modern buildings, it bubbles with urban imagery. Stroll its main artery, Street 18B, and 24 giant murals unfurl across 12 walls. Cue depictions of parrots, lions, and vintage cars that grab your attention in between forays into the bazaar-style malls. Several Dubai shopping tours zoom in on Karama if you like the idea of a guided retail roam.

Lining the sands just north of Jumeirah Beach in the Jumeirah 1 district, this open-air waterfront shopping and dining precinct pops with colorful art between rows of sportswear stores, fast food outlets, cabana rentals, restaurants, and kids’ play areas. Look for everything from colossal building paintings and graffiti-style murals to offbeat steampunk-style sculptures like giant pipes and cogwheels—all adding to its playful and casual beach vibe. When you fancy a change from the art here, the Etihad Museum, which charts the UAE’s history, is just a few minutes away by cab.