Abu Dhabi – October 14, 2026 -- Visitors to Zayed National Museum can see 6,500-year-old wild camel bones when the museum opens its first temporary exhibition, Tracks Through Time: The Camel in Society, Trade and Art, in early December 2026.
The show coincides with the museum's first anniversary. The museum describes it as the world's first exhibition to comprehensively explore more than 7,000 years of camel history in the UAE and the wider region.
Ancient bones show wild camels, then domesticated ones
Wild camel bones from the Baynunah archaeological site in Abu Dhabi date to the Neolithic Period (4,500-4,000 BCE). They are on loan from Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. Remains from Al Sufouh in Dubai date to the Bronze Age (2,500-1,300 BCE) and come from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. According to the museum, it is the first time detailed evidence of the now-extinct wild camel species will be shown to the public.
Domesticated camel bones from Saruq Al Hadid in Dubai date to the Iron Age (2,000-1,300 BCE), also on loan from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. They provide some of the earliest evidence in the world for the taming and rearing of wild camels.
Rock art, stamps and a rare 1840s children's book fill out the story
Other items include a rare children's book from the 1840s detailing camel species and their uses. Rock art depicting camels from Fujairah dates to 3,000 years ago. UAE postage stamps featuring camels through the years are also on display.
Audiovisual elements include rare archival photography and film footage. Visitors will also hear recordings of Taghrooda and Alheda'a (camel calling), oral traditions inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as well as oral testimonies from camel herders and community members.
The exhibition runs from wild camels to Al Hejin racing
Museum Director Dr. Peter Magee said the exhibition follows the archaeological evidence for wild camels, early domestication, camel-human bonds and daily life. It ends with the prestige of Al Hejin camel racing and Mazayna beauty competitions.
Workshops, tours and a themed shop mark the anniversary
Tracks Through Time is part of a wider anniversary programme. Visitors can join exhibition-related workshops, activities and tours, along with special anniversary programming across the museum. A standalone retail offering inspired by the exhibition's themes will also open.