The National Archives and Library displays historical photos at the Sheikh Zayed Festival
Abu Dhabi, 11 January / WAM / The National Archives and Library have allocated a special corner to display a rare collection of historical photographs of the founder and builder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, taken by the lens of the British traveler and explorer Wilfred Thesiger, within the “Memory of the Nation” platform at the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026, in a visual documentation that embodies a pivotal stage in the history of the UAE.
The group points out the importance of Thesiger’s prominent contributions to documenting the region’s history and human heritage, and his role in conveying a realistic and in-depth picture of the life of Bedouin communities in the Arabian Peninsula in the first half of the twentieth century.
The “Memory of the Nation” platform displays a number of historical photos, most of which date back to the year 1948, when Thesiger met Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, at Al Muwaiji Fort in Al Ain, in one of the prominent stations that documented the features of leadership and social life at that stage.
The pictures of Sheikh Zayed taken by Thesiger, in addition to what he recorded in his writings about the UAE and the region, acquire a unique historical and humanitarian value based on his close relationship with the local community, as he spoke the Arabic language, respected customs and traditions, and wore the local dress, which earned him the title “Mubarak Bin London.”
Wilfred Thesiger is considered one of the most prominent Western travelers and explorers whose name is associated with the region. He undertook exploratory trips in the Rub’ al-Khali desert during the 1940s, accompanied by tribesmen, during which he lived the details of their daily lives, documenting their customs, traditions, and ways of living in a harsh desert environment, before the discovery of oil and the beginning of modern transformations.
This exhibition comes within the framework of the National Archives and Library’s keenness to introduce new generations to the features of life in the UAE and the region before the establishment of the Union. This enhances awareness of national identity and their ancient history.
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