Zayed National Museum opens applications for AED1m 2026 Research Fund

Zayed National Museum has invited researchers from around the world to apply to the 2026 Zayed National Museum Research Fund. The AED1 million fund supports research projects contributing to the preservation, advancement of knowledge and understanding of the UAE’s heritage and culture, as well as that of the wider region.

The fund is inspired by the values of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, through its commitment to ambitious and rigorous research that preserves and revives the UAE’s deep heritage, while fostering knowledge, innovation and resilience. The fund provides both large and small grants, targeting seasoned researchers as well as those at the beginning of their careers, whose work aims to deepen our collective understanding of the history and culture of the UAE and wider region.

His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Now in its fourth year, the Zayed National Museum Research Fund continues to attract leading researchers from across the globe, each contributing a distinct perspective to our understanding of the UAE’s heritage, Emirati cultural identity and the remarkable story of this land. The depth and diversity of the research supported by the fund reflect our broader ambition to position the UAE’s national museum as a world-class research institution that supports cultural scholarship and drives knowledge exchange. By advancing new research and fostering international collaboration, the fund plays a vital role in strengthening our cultural infrastructure while ensuring our heritage remains dynamic, relevant and influential, as these stories continue to inform and inspire future generations.”

Dr Peter Magee, Director of Zayed National Museum, added: “As a research institution, Zayed National Museum’s internally led programme spans archaeology, conservation science, oral history and intangible heritage, supported by specialised in-house facilities including conservation laboratories, a digitalisation studio and multispectral imaging technology. This commitment to rigorous, integrated research is reflected in projects such as the Magan Boat project, a collaboration with Zayed University and NYU Abu Dhabi that reconstructed a Bronze Age sea vessel using evidence from a cuneiform tablet in the museum’s own collection, demonstrating that the UAE was an active participant in early long-distance trade networks. The Research Fund extends this spirit of inquiry outward, inviting scholars from around the world to contribute to the same growing body of knowledge.”

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from Zayed National Museum and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, as well as external subject matter experts. The research projects will be assessed against criteria including research methodology, experience, outcomes and alignment with the museum’s mandate.

The key themes of the research fund include the life and achievements of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in driving social, cultural and economic advancement in the UAE and the region; the archaeology and history of the UAE, including archaeological fieldwork, laboratory analysis and archive research; the intangible heritage of the UAE, including oral history projects focused on its living history, recent past, stories, traditions and songs; the archaeology and history of the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, including Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, and how these regions interacted and engaged with the UAE from prehistory until the recent past; and conferences and invited lectures focused on these priority research areas.

In its 2023 and 2024 cycles, the Zayed National Museum Research Fund supported 18 projects from researchers across the globe, including China, Egypt, India, Italy, Oman, Poland, UAE, UK and USA. The projects supported by the fund span a wide variety of topics and disciplines, from the rock art of southern and eastern Arabia and the deep archaeological history of the Al Ain Oasis, to the late Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and its lasting impact on UAE society and culture.

Researchers can apply to Zayed National Museum’s Research Fund before August 20 by visiting: ZNM Research Fund Survey 2026 | QuestionPro Survey