Qasr Al Watan

About the museum & collection

Qasr Al Watan is more than a presidential palace. Located in Abu Dhabi, it offers visitors an insight into the culture and institutions that shape the identity of the United Arab Emirates. The palace presents the country’s heritage in a contemporary and immersive setting, inviting audiences to reflect on both the region’s rich past and its ambitious future.

Within this setting, the exhibition “Pearls, Oud, and Ambergris. Enduring symbols that inspire the world” explores how the UAE’s history was shaped by its strategic position and the resilience of its people. Pearls recall the era when pearl diving formed the economic backbone of the UAE’s coastal regions, while oud and ambergris evoke the traditions of fragrance and hospitality that continue to resonate in contemporary Emirati society.

Through visual and tactile elements, supported by audiovisual media, the exhibition creates an immersive narrative in which natural materials become powerful symbols of the UAE’s heritage and development.

Project challenges & requirements

For this exhibition, Meyvaert was commissioned to deliver 20 showcases, designed to support the presentation, preservation and protection of the rich and symbolic collection. Conservation and security were therefore central to the project from the outset. As the museum had limited prior experience in this field, we also played an important role in helping to define the appropriate conservation standard for the showcases.

The project required a showcase design that could be reconfigured, while still meeting the strict technical and aesthetic expectations of a high-profile exhibition inside a presidential palace. The design language relied on carefully coordinated finishes, including a bronze finish, stainless-steel cladding with directionless sanding and an ultra-matt appearance, as well as back-painted glass matched to the stainless steel. Achieving visual consistency across these materials was one of the key challenges of the project.

Several showcases also had to be integrated into a “floating table” supplied by another contractor. This required close coordination between Meyvaert, the setwork contractor and the team responsible for the floating table. The table cases were equipped with electrical locks that would remain invisible to visitors.

The project environment required careful planning and alignment. Working inside a presidential palace meant strict access procedures, multiple checkpoints and significant security constraints. Installation works were carried out at night, while other setwork activities were still ongoing on site.

Display case solutions & results

Meyvaert addressed these challenges through close coordination with the project partners and extensive testing of materials and finishes. Drawing on our extensive experience in coordinating with multiple contractors and partners, we ensured the inclined and table cases were seamlessly integrated into the floating table, without compromising conservation or security performance.

Particular attention was given to the finishes. Through thorough sampling and careful refinement, Meyvaert developed a consistent relationship between the bronze finish, the ultra-matt stainless steel and the back-painted glass so that the showcases would support the exhibition’s material language without distracting from the objects on display. The showcases sit naturally within the exhibition and enhance its immersive character with the technical performance required for loaned collections.

Designer: Icaria Atelier

Exhibit fabricator: Empty