Cultural Foundation National Library and Abu Dhabi Children's Library Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi

Overview

The Cultural Foundation National Library and the Abu Dhabi Children's Library are two library institutions housed within the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Cultural Foundation opened in 1981 as the UAE's first national library and performing arts venue, built following an international architectural design competition launched in 1973. Designed by The Architects' Collaborative (TAC) with local architect Hisham Al Ashkouri, the building blends Arab-Islamic motifs with modernist structure and has since been designated Abu Dhabi's first modern heritage site.

Cultural Foundation National Library

When the Cultural Foundation opened in 1981, it became the UAE's first National Library. The library holds a substantial collection supporting research and cultural learning for the Abu Dhabi community. It provides access to print and digital resources and serves as a key cultural hub alongside the foundation's galleries, theatre, and community programs.

Abu Dhabi Children's Library

The Abu Dhabi Children's Library is a vibrant, purpose-built space within the Cultural Foundation designed for children aged 0–14. Its interior features imaginative design elements inspired by the landscapes of the UAE, including sand dune-inspired reading areas, a falaj water channel, oasis settings, and a 'Book Mountain.' The library offers multilingual print and digital collections, an art workshop, a digital media lab, reading zones, and year-round programming in literature, arts, film, and music.

Collections and Access

The children's library collection is multilingual and includes fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, autobiographies, and audio-books. The Cultural Foundation is open Saturday through Thursday from 9 AM to 8 PM, and Fridays from 2 PM to 8 PM. It is located on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street in the Al Hosn area of central Abu Dhabi, opposite Qasr Al Hosn.