- Address: Al Qawasim Corniche, Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
- Contact phone: +971 501980480
- Website: rakpearls.com
- Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday from 10:00 to 18:00
- Cost of visit: adult ticket - $ 4, child - $ 2.7
One of the most popular museums in Ras Al Khaimah is the Pearl Museum. In it the surprising collection of exhibits of original forms and various colors, the adaptation for extraction of a pearl and pl. etc. Exciting excursion will help you to learn more about the processes of growth of pearls, their processing and use. A surprise at the end of the visit will not leave anyone indifferent.
Location:
The Pearl Museum is located on the city quay of Al Qawassim Corniche Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE .
History of the museum
The tradition of pearls in the Persian Gulf countries is rooted in history. The natural cultivation of pearls from sand with the help of oysters has always brought huge profits to the Arab countries. However, with the advent of technology for the artificial cultivation of material, such an interesting trade as the extraction of pearls from the bottom, gradually lost its significance.
Ras al-Khaimah was the largest seaport, pearls from here were delivered to many countries of the world. In order to leave the influence of pearls in the memory of the people on the economy and culture of the UAE, RAK Pearls Holding, which has been growing pearls since 2005 in the Bay of Rams, with the support of local governments, offered to open a museum in Ras Al Khaimah. In it, and placed a solid collection of exhibits, equipment and equipment of pearl miners, historical documents, etc.
What interesting things can you see?
The Pearl Museum is located at the factory and occupies a two-story building. The interior interiors and expositions are amazing. The walls and halls of the museum are decorated with thousands of colorful pearl shells.
The exposition of the museum will tell visitors about:
- technology of searching and lifting from the bottom of pearls;
- history, tricks and dangers of fishing for pearls and even some legends associated with this;
- catchers of this wonderful material, their equipment and protection.
So, the tour of the museum is as follows:
- The exhibition begins with a demonstration of traditional boats "Jalbout", whose length is 40 m, and in the staircase there are wire mock-ups of 2 divers. It was on such vessels that merchants set out on their journey.
- Then you will be shown the suits and protective equipment of the plunger, including knives, gloves, nasal clamps, oil, various tools, scales with weights, bowls for sifting pearls, a treasure chest. The work of the pearl fishermen was very difficult, because you had to revise dozens of shells before finding a pearl in one of them. For such work, very hardy and physically well-trained people were required, who were also not afraid of poisonous jellyfish and predatory fish and knew how to defend themselves in case of danger.
- The main value of the museum is located on the 2 nd floor a collection of pearls. Here are presented black and white peas in the size from 10 to 15 mm, and also pink pearls. To the best examples of Arabian pearls is an amazing white pearl, called "Miracle of Arabia". It has a diameter of 12 mm and is on a red velvet cushion. Its beauty is highlighted by a special highlight. Similarly, the museum also houses all the other pearls.
- Finally, pay attention also to such an unusual exhibit as the "oysters of Buddha." Earlier, according to custom, Buddha figurines were placed in the shells, this was done in order to ensure luck to the catchers of pearls. Dived miniature figurines and mother-of-pearl miniatures look very elegant.
- In the museum of pearls in Ras Al Khaimah you will also be told how to distinguish natural pearls from artificially grown, and after the tour ends each visitor will be presented with a pearl and a certificate for it.
What to visit after the tour?
On the territory of the museum there is a gift shop Hdaya, in which various products and accessories from pearls are sold. Also after the tour, you can go for lunch or dinner at the Japanese restaurant Akoya or at Arbya Cafe. If you want to learn more about the processes of growing pearls, then directly from the museum on a boat excursion go to the pearl farm, where more than 100 thousand copies are grown per year. The cultivation of one large pearl measuring 10-12 mm takes at least 3 years.
How to get there?
The most convenient way to get to the pearl museum in Ras Al Khaimah is by taxi or rent a car . You need to move along the highway E11 to the center of the city, then on a circular motion make a ramp on the Al-Hisn Road road and move to your destination.