Zayed National Museum opens 'calm room' for neurodivergent visitors

Zayed National Museum has unveiled a calm room, a dedicated space designed to support neurodivergent visitors and those who may experience sensory overload.

The announcement coincided with the opening on Tuesday of the museum's Accessibility Conference 2026, which brings together international experts, policymakers and People of determination to examine ways cultural institutions can become more inclusive.

The three-day event, titled From Barriers to Belonging – Accessibility in Museum Practices, runs until Thursday, November 5. Alongside the calm room, the museum has introduced a new exhibition design manual intended to help other cultural institutions across the UAE improve accessibility.

Show caption: Deaf performers from Zayed Authority for People of Determina…

Amna Al Hammadi, community engagement and accessibility section head at Zayed National Museum, says the conference presents an opportunity to reconsider their reliance on western approaches to accessibility.

“As Arab museums, we often look to western museums for best practices without necessarily considering our own cultural practices or the social characteristics of communities in the Arab region,” Al Hammadi says.

She believes international standards should be examined in the context of local cultural practices and community expectations, while the conference gives Arab institutions an opportunity to share their own experiences with international counterparts.

The programme features 16 case studies from institutions in countries including Portugal, Kenya, South Korea, Japan as well as the UAE.

Among the discussions are sessions examining disability representation in museum storytelling, the challenges of making historic buildings accessible and the involvement of people of determination in shaping museum experiences.

A panel on Tuesday also explored Zayed National Museum's Deaf Museum Experience Specialists programme, including the role of deaf-led approaches in creating more inclusive visitor experiences.

A space to find calm

The newly opened calm room was developed in consultation with the neurodivergent community, following feedback from autistic visitors and their families during the museum's development.

It features dimmable lighting, calming sounds, sensory kits, fidget tools and a crash mat, allowing visitors to adjust their surroundings when the museum environment becomes overwhelming.

The facility is available without advance booking, with visitors able to request access through museum staff. Although primarily intended for neurodivergent people, including autistic visitors, it can also benefit those with ADHD, dementia or other sensory needs.

Show caption: Accessibility has been incorporated into Zayed National Muse…

Al Hammadi says the room responds to concerns raised by families who wanted a safe, comfortable environment where autistic visitors could manage sensory challenges without having to leave the museum.

She also highlights the importance of preserving visitors' dignity, ensuring they can engage with cultural experiences on their own terms.

The calm room joins existing initiatives including Quiet Morning, which provides a quieter museum experience, and Beyond Sight, which offers tactile workshops for visually impaired visitors.

Zayed National Museum is also the first cultural institution in the Middle East to adopt the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme, which trains staff to support visitors with non-visible disabilities.

Creating regional standards

Another announcement at the conference was the launch of Zayed National Museum's Accessible Exhibition Design Manual, the first such museum-specific resource in the Middle East.

Available in Arabic and English and approved by the UAE Ministry of Family, the manual combines international accessibility standards with UAE design requirements to guide the development of inclusive exhibitions.

The initiative emerged from difficulties encountered during the museum's development, when its team discovered that the UAE Universal Design Code contained limited guidance specifically addressing museums.

Work began in 2022, with the museum collaborating with government authorities to develop solutions that could eventually benefit other cultural institutions across the country.

Fatma Mohammed Al Jassim, Accessibility Strategist for Learning and Public Engagement at Zayed National Museum, says the absence of established museum-specific standards encouraged the team to develop its own approach, incorporating Emirati philosophy and hospitality alongside international practices.

“When you don't have a solution, that doesn't necessarily mean you should simply adopt a good practice from somewhere else,” Al Jassim says.

“It is about ingenuity and having the confidence to create something yourself.”

The museum intends to share the manual with other institutions across the UAE, allowing its experience to inform future exhibition design.

Show caption: The calm room features sensory resources and comfortable sea…

Before opening, Zayed National Museum also established working groups involving people of determination, their families and teachers to help shape its facilities and visitor experience. Their involvement continues through community committees, including those representing senior citizens.

Al Jassim says these relationships are essential because accessibility requires continued improvement rather than a one-time investment.

“Feedback is the cornerstone of everything we do because you cannot build something for people without involving them,” she says.

Al Hammadi thinks this collaborative approach also needs to extend beyond individual institutions.

She says Arab museums have valuable experiences to contribute to international conversations about accessibility, but their work has often received limited attention.

By bringing together institutions from different countries, the conference aims to encourage a more balanced exchange of expertise, allowing museums in the region to develop approaches that reflect their own cultural and community needs.