Looking for Tomorrow: Exclusive Interview with the Museum of the Future Deputy Executive Director

One of the most outstanding museums of the generation recaps the results of the first year of work and looks to the future.

The Museum of the Future in Dubai is not just a museum. It has five floors of exhibits with the imagination of life in the year 2071. And seven floors all together. There is a space station and a digitally re-created Amazon rainforest inside.

On its facade there is a message of hope for the future from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Dubai's Ruler. Durov's Code spoke with Majed Jakka Al Mansoori, Deputy Executive Director Museum of the Future on its first year and took a peek into tomorrow.

On February 22nd the Museum of the Future turns 1 year old. Can you tell us how this year has flown for you?

Just in its first year of existence, the Museum of the Future has already achieved many of its goals. Since the opening, the museum has been able to offer substantial experiences that showcase potential opportunities for humanity, welcoming visitors of all ages from all walks of life.

Working towards solving current challenges to build a better world, the museum can position Dubai as one of the most important future cities in the world, and cements Dubai’s pivotal role in being a gateway to the world of tomorrow.

As an incubator for new ideas, the museum contributes to enriching the passion for science and knowledge in present and future generations through its unique space, that features exciting and interactive experiences and exhibitions.

Future changes very quickly. What we dreamed of yesterday, finds its essence today. How do you manage to stay a Museum of the Future in spite of all the developments?

The Museum of the Future will lead a global intellectual movement that actively explores and foresees future changes in scientific, economic, environmental and social sectors. It will also forge opportunities from these changes to benefit humanity through strategic partnerships with global institutions, advanced research courses and specialised workshops.

Since its inauguration, the museum has established its keenness and relentless pursuit to invest in creative minds, ideas, projects, initiatives, studies and research, gathering leading minds of the Arab world to create progressive solutions in various fields of discipline as a foundation for a better future.

For example, we held the ‘Dubai Future Forum’ in October 2022, which became the largest global gathering of futurists attended by over 400 international personalities, government officials, experts and specialists representing more than 45 global organisations and institutions.

Museums were created as repositories of tangible heritage (for reference - intangible heritage as a museum function was only introduced by the ICOM International Council of Museums definition last August). The Museum of the Future is forward-looking. Why don't you refuse to define yourself as a museum?

Museum of the Future is not a traditional museum, it is a living museum that embodies humanity’s limitless creativity, innovation and imagination, providing a gateway to a future world, crafted by visionary designers, artists. It combines elements of exhibition, immersive theatre and themed attraction.

What do you think a museum is today? Why is the Museum of the Future still a museum, rather than a cultural centre, a research institute, or something else?

Museum of the Future is a platform for displaying and testing innovations of the world's leading technology companies and contributes to designing future lifestyles, communities and cities. It gives place for partnerships with universities, cultural centres, international research institutes, advanced research courses and specialised workshops, with the aim of creating new and innovative solutions.

You recently had Deepak Chopra as a guest. What other guests are you planning to invite? Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Jony Ive or James Dyson?

With its aim to lead global discussions through the ‘Future Talks’ series, each session highlights and explores humanity’s latest discoveries as well as those yet to come. We recently hosted award-winning British actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador, Idris Elba, and his wife Sabrina, who explored the role of culture as a powerful platform to raise awareness for global issues and to create meaningful impact.

The Museum of the Future will continue to attract the world’s most impactful ideas to provide Dubai with new concepts that strengthen its position as a leading city of the future as an open laboratory for innovative ideas and a permanent forum for discussing unconventional solutions to global challenges.

Since its opening, the Museum of the Future has hosted some of the most prominent visionaries and thought leaders in the world including Professor Greg Clark, Global Head of Future Cities and New Industries at HSBC Group; Professor Osama Al-Khatib, Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Robotics Lab at Stanford University; Sadguru Jagadish Vasudev, Yoga Instructor and Environmental Activist, among others.

This year you have attracted the whole world's attention. The museum has been talked about everywhere. Tell us, what plans do you have for next year?

Museum of the Future provides an engaging experience through various exhibitions and talks designed to encourage visitors to form their own perceptions of the future, leveraging state-of-the-art technologies including artificial intelligence and human-machine interaction as part of the experience.

It represents a permanent exhibition to showcase and review different aspects of the future and the most important technologies that are going to shape it, which will continue to evolve in due course.