Frames from Arabian artistry

Although primarily known as an adventure and leisure hub in the GCC heart, Yas Island in UAE is also keen to position itself as a cultural destination, with an assortment of museums and other cultural venues.

-  Triya Ghosh

Curious, I tried to peek inside the crowded area in the Great Hall. Encircled by shutterbugs was a giant, golden sculpture, interlaced with signature Arabian inscriptions in Qasr Al Watan. It was aptly named the 'Power of Words, as the idea behind the oval monument was to let visitors enter and experience it from the inside.

Mirroring Arabian cultural legacy, the sculpture was woven out of a popular Arabic saying:

Wealth is not money or oil, wealth lies in people and it is worthless if not dedicated to serve the people.

Qasr Al Watan or the Palace of Nations is the Presidential Palace of the United Arab Emirates, and is an important architectural and cultural landmark in the country, located in Yas Island, a destination in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Most tourists would recognise it as the adventure hub of the country, with a whole host of adventure theme parks like Ferrari World or the recently-opened SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi.

But over the past few years, Yas Island has been trying to diversify its tourism offer, partly to attract the culturally inclined visitors but also to get the current tourists stay a bit longer by adding cultural icons like the Qasr Al Watan or indeed the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Building on the immense wealth of art that the Arabian peninsula boasts of, Yas Island dons a unique mix of the Occident and the Orient culture.

India Outbound was recently invited on a visit to explore the cultural attractions of Yas Island.