Credit Image : Dubai government media office
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the Al Maktoum Archives, a new institution dedicated to documenting, preserving, and showcasing the rich cultural, historical, and intellectual legacy of Dubai’s rulers and the Al Maktoum family.
Announcing the launch on X, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Today, we launched the Al Maktoum Archives, with the aim of preserving history, safeguarding collective memory, and telling the full story of the journey and legacy for future generations, the region, and the world. Our goal is to protect Dubai’s heritage, archive it, and make it accessible.”
The Archives, established under Law No. (28) of 2024, will operate under the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It will serve as a comprehensive repository chronicling Sheikh Mohammed’s biography, writings, collections, and his transformative leadership in shaping Dubai into a global city of innovation and culture.
“The purpose of the Archives is not merely to create another institution, but to tell our story because history is not just the past; it is a mirror through which we can look and build a greater tomorrow,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
The Al Maktoum Archives Corporation, formed to oversee the initiative, will preserve historical records, official correspondence, and rare documents related to the rulers of Dubai and the Al Maktoum family. These materials will highlight their enduring contributions to the emirate’s progress and their central role in the founding and development of the UAE.
Under the new law, all entities in Dubai that hold historical documents pertaining to the Al Maktoum family are required to register them with the Archives within one year of the law’s implementation. Any unregistered materials will be deemed property of the Corporation, and the disposal of historical documents without prior written approval will be prohibited.
Sheikh Mohammed also issued a decree forming the Board of Directors of the Al Maktoum Archives Corporation, chaired by the Chief Executive of his Executive Office. The board includes senior government officials among them, the Secretary-General of the Dubai Executive Council, Director Generals of Dubai Municipality and Dubai Culture, the Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, and the CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation along with two appointed heritage experts.
The Al Maktoum Archives aims to ensure that Dubai’s story from its earliest days to its rise as a world-leading metropolis is preserved, protected, and made accessible for researchers, policymakers, and generations to come.
