Ras Al Khaimah 36°C Search ⌕
INSIDERAK
Things to Do · National Museum of RAK

National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah: hours, entry and what to see

The National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah occupies a historic fort on Al Hisn Road in the old town, a building that served as a ruler's residence, then a police headquarters, then a prison, before being converted into the emirate's national museum in 1987. Entry is 5 dirhams for adults and 2 for children, and the watchtower climb gives you a view over the old town that the collection alone would not justify the trip for.

Check the hours you are quoted · last verified 11 October 2026

A lot of third-party listings for this museum are out of date. We found sites still publishing 10:00-17:00 Wednesday to Monday, a Friday 14:00-20:00 slot, and an entry fee of AED 10 for foreign visitors. None of those match the official listing, which gives 08:00-18:00 Tuesday to Sunday with last entry 17:30, closed Mondays, at AED 5 adults and AED 2 children. Hours can also change without notice during UAE national holidays and Ramadan, and the museum closes on the first day of Eid. Found a change? corrections@insiderak.com.

What you need to know

Entry and what it costs

5 dirhams for adults and 2 dirhams for children, paid at the museum entrance. That makes it among the cheapest things to do in the emirate, and it is worth saying plainly because several listings still quote 10 dirhams for foreign visitors, a figure we could not confirm anywhere official.

The building's own history

The fort was a ruler's residence before becoming a police headquarters and then a prison, and was converted into the National Museum in 1987. In practice the building is as much the exhibit as the collection, and reading it as a sequence of uses rather than as a single historic fort is what makes the visit land.

The collection

The displays cover historical, ethnographic and archaeological material relating specifically to Ras Al Khaimah, which matters in an emirate with roughly 7,000 years of continuous settlement and archaeological sites at Shimal and elsewhere. It is a compact museum, not a half-day one.

The watchtower

Visitors can climb the watchtower for a view across the old town and the city. It is the detail most visitors remember, and it is the practical reason to pair the museum with a walk through the old town and the souks rather than treating it as a standalone stop.

Where to eat nearby

Restaurants & Cafes India Palace → North Indian standard at RAK Mall, Khuzam Road, consistent and popular with residents. AED 95 · Indian Restaurants & Cafes Siket Al Teben → Old-souq café on the site of RAK's first market, gahwa and luqaimat alongside Emirati stews. AED 40 · Emirati Restaurants & Cafes Fish Market Restaurant → Pick your catch from the display in Al Nakheel, grilled, fried or curried to order. AED 75 · Seafood Restaurants & Cafes Bait Al Bahar → Long-established Gulf seafood house on the corniche. AED 130 · Gulf Restaurants & Cafes Special Kebab Restaurant → Iranian grill in Al Dhait North, open from early morning to midnight. AED 55 · Iranian Restaurants & Cafes Manar Food Court → Mall food court serving the city's lunchtime and family trade. AED 40 · Various Restaurants & Cafes RAKEZ Business Canteen → Weekday lunch service for the free-zone business park. AED 35 · International Restaurants & Cafes LaLoca Café & Lounge → International café and lounge in the Old Market overlooking the harbour, known for brunch dishes like eggs benedict and fattoush. AED 70 · International Restaurants & Cafes Calicut Restaurant → South Indian eatery on the Old Corniche in Sidroh, open since the 1950s, serving chicken chilli, porotta and fresh fish. AED 35 · South Indian Restaurants & Cafes Eayshat Awal → Emirati seafood restaurant in the Old Market near the harbour, sourcing its catch daily from RAK's fish market and serving shrimp majboos and riggag. AED 90 · Emirati Restaurants & Cafes Ashuk Ice Cream → Ice cream parlour in the Old Bazaar on Old Corniche Road, running since the early 1980s and known for its towering mango-pomegranate sundae. AED 25 · Ice cream Restaurants & Cafes Mannoor Café → Historic tea house in the Old Town dating to the 1940s, serving its original Mannoor blend of Sanjini and Slaimani teas alongside Arabic coffee. AED 15 · Tea house Restaurants & Cafes Kibba Wa Tabbola → Syrian and Lebanese restaurant on 3C Street in Al Dhait South, serving mezze, grilled meats and its namesake kibbeh and tabbouleh. AED 60 · Levantine

Opening hours

Tuesday – Sunday 08:00 – 18:00

Official hours, with last entry at 17:30. Closed Mondays, and closed on the first day of Eid. Times can change without notice during UAE national holidays and Ramadan. Several third-party listings still publish older hours of 10:00-17:00 Wednesday to Monday, which do not match the official schedule.

Getting there

The museum is on Al Hisn Road in the old town of Ras Al Khaimah, in the most walkable part of the emirate, which makes it easy to combine with the souks and the corniche. Manar Mall is a short drive away on the waterfront. It is close to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and about an hour from Dubai by car. For the historical context, Dhayah Fort and Al Jazirah Al Hamra are the two sites that pair with it best.

Frequently asked questions

What are the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah's opening hours?

Officially 08:00 to 18:00 Tuesday to Sunday, with last entry at 17:30, closed on Mondays and on the first day of Eid. Hours can change without notice during UAE national holidays and Ramadan. Several third-party listings still publish older hours of 10:00 to 17:00 Wednesday to Monday.

How much is entry to the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah?

5 dirhams for adults and 2 dirhams for children, paid at the entrance. Some listings still quote 10 dirhams for foreign visitors, a figure we could not confirm against any official source, so expect the lower price.

Is the museum closed on Mondays?

Yes. The official schedule runs Tuesday to Sunday and the museum is closed on Mondays, as well as on the first day of Eid. This is the single most common reason for a wasted trip, because several third-party listings show a Wednesday-to-Monday week instead.

What is in the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah?

Historical, ethnographic and archaeological collections relating specifically to Ras Al Khaimah, housed in a fort that was previously a ruler's residence, a police headquarters and a prison before becoming the museum in 1987. Visitors can also climb the watchtower for a view over the old town.

How long do you need at the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah?

It is a compact museum rather than a half-day visit. Most people pair it with the old town and the souks, which are within walking distance, and with the watchtower climb that gives the best view of the surrounding city.

When did the fort become a museum?

1987. Before that the building served as a ruler's residence, then as a police headquarters, and then as a prison. That sequence of uses is part of what makes the building itself as interesting as the collection it now holds.