House of Artisans
About House of Artisans
The House of Artisans is the traditional crafts centre at the Al Hosn site in central Abu Dhabi, next to Qasr Al Hosn. It is for residents, families and visitors who want to see how Emirati artisans turned desert, oasis and sea materials into everyday objects, with entry free of charge.
Crafts presented
- Al Sadu: geometric weaving by Bedouin women using sheep, camel and goat wool, once used for tent dividers and camel accessories. UNESCO added it to its list of intangible heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2011.
- Khoos: weaving of date-palm fronds into items such as surood (round food mats), mahafah (fans), makabah (food covers) and jefeer (date baskets).
- Talli: decorative embroidery with cotton or silk threads mixed with gold and silver, used on the collars, sleeves and hems of kandoora and thawb robes.
- Sea crafts: boat building for trade, pearling and fishing, and locally made fishing nets and traps.
Tickets and opening hours
Admission to the House of Artisans, the Cultural Foundation and the landscape is free. Qasr Al Hosn itself, special workshops and events are excluded from free entry. Al Hosn tickets can be bought online or at the ticketing counter and are non-refundable. School groups get all-access entry free; other groups use a booking form.
As published by Qasr Al Hosn: Saturday to Thursday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Friday 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Getting there
The site is on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street in Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi. It has underground parking, and taxis drop off on Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street and the surrounding streets.
Good to know
- There are no lockers, so carry your bags with you.
- Free Wi-Fi is available across the Al Hosn site, and there is a prayer room near the restaurants.
- Visitors with disabilities can ask the visitor experience team at the ticketing points.
- The website offers free downloads such as a House of Artisans colouring book and a Sadu-inspired bookmark.
- Contact: +971 2 697 6400.
Description written from official sources, checked 24 October 2026: qasralhosn.ae. Confirm details with the business before you go.
Opening hours
| Sunday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
| Friday | 14:00 – 20:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 – 20:00 |
Hours change on public holidays and during Ramadan. Confirm with the venue before you travel.
Sources: qasralhosn.ae · qasralhosn.ae · qasralhosn.ae · qasralhosn.ae
Useful before you go
Location and address data from OpenStreetMap — under the ODbL licence
Initial place data from Overture Maps Foundation — under the CDLA-Permissive-2.0 licence
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