Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Zayed National Museum hosted the “Preserving our History Symposium” on May 28–29 at Saadiyat Island Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Over the course of the two-day event, local and international conservation professionals came together to engage in workshops and scientific exchange.
Held in collaboration with West Dean College and Plowden & Smith, the event included paper, metal, textile and paintings conservation workshops for attendees.
It also featured workshops on 3D printing and digitisation; shedding light on UAE goals to preserve cultural heritage through innovation and education.
Speaking to Aletihad, Fatima Mansoor Al Tamimi, Head of the Conservation Unit at the Zayed National Museum, said that this symposium is the first of its kind.
“We organised it in partnership with West Dean College and Plowden & Smith, and it covers theory, practical work and scientific analysis,” she said.
The event featured a diverse series of workshops in paper and parchment conservation, metals, ceramics, painting, textile, 3D printing, replica making and digitisation.
“Our goal at the Zayed National Museum is to preserve the history and culture of the UAE —continuing the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was deeply connected to his people,” she said.
Al Tamimi explained that the symposium filled a major cultural void in the region.
“We tailored this to address our needs in the UAE and the region. We are rich in heritage, but we lacked the programmes to educate the community on how to protect it.”
She highlighted the importance of blending traditional conservation with modern tools: “We are introducing 3D printing and replica-making as a way to safely display fragile items, especially when originals cannot always be shown. And in this digital era, we have also added digitisation and documentation into the programme.”
The broader goal, she said, is about building a culture of preservation. “We are creating a sustainable and aware community,” she added.
Lizzie Neville, Head of the School of Conservation at West Dean College, told Aletihad: “We wanted to show how conservation is a global, collaborative field.”
She said the goal is to offer more specialist education: “There is so much heritage here that needs to be preserved. We are now hoping to provide more specialist education to encourage people here to pursue conservation careers.”
On 3D printing, Neville explained: “If an object is too delicate to display or travel with, reproductions can be used instead — especially in schools or public exhibits.” Scientific analysis also comes into play.
“We want to show what can be learned just by observing,” she said, noting examples like identifying materials and studying paper fibres under a microscope.
Modern materials were another focus.
“Some modern plastics and papers are less stable than ancient ones,” she said.
There was a demonstration of proper textile handling too.
“Our textile conservator showed participants the best ways to protect delicate garments.”
Digitisation concluded the training.
“Once records are safely preserved, they can be digitised and made accessible online,” said Neville.
Collector and founder of Al Majlis Abdulla Almansouri told Aletihad about his decades-long efforts to preserve Islamic and Emirati heritage.
“I have major collections — Islamic, traditional Emirati, and one dedicated to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,” he said, listing items like swords and manuscripts, and pieces that hold real historical value for the UAE.
“What started as a hobby over 30 years ago became a mission,” he said.
On the current symposium, Almansouri said: “Last year, I asked Al Tamimi for access to training abroad. She replied, ‘We will bring it here’. And they did.”
The workshops, he added, taught him vital conservation skills: “We learned how to store, transport, and restore different materials. It helped us a lot.”
