Visitors to Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque must now pay an entry fee, with UAE Emirates ID holders being charged Dh5 ($1.35) and tourists Dh10, although the mosque remains free for worshippers.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, which oversees the landmark building, has listed the new entry fees on its website. Visitors entering the white-marble complex through tour operators will pay Dh8. Visitors aged 60 and older can enter free of charge. Fees for official delegations are set by the relevant authorities.
In addition to the entry fee, the centre also offers access to the Light & Peace Museum and Diya, an immersive 360-degree experience, each for Dh25. A combined ticket for both costs Dh40.
The museum features sensory and interactive experiences, precious artefacts and artworks. The Diya exhibition showcases scientific, literary and historical works reflecting Islamic civilisation.
Diya uses sound and light to take visitors on an immersive sensory journey that begins beneath a starlit sky before descending to the UAE, showcasing its heritage. Visitors are taken through green oases, mountains, coastlines and deserts before arriving at the minarets, domes and architectural details of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Free cultural tours
Guided cultural tours of the mosque remain free for individuals and groups. Official guide specialists lead 30 to 45-minute tours that explore the mosque's architecture, Islamic art and culture.
Tours are held Monday to Sunday at 11am, 1pm and 5pm, apart from on Fridays, when only the 11am and 5pm slots are available.
Visitors can also tour the mosque's main prayer hall for Dh30.
The tour highlights Islamic craftsmanship, including the mosque's art and architectural details. Tours are available outside restricted prayer hours only. On Fridays, the prayer hall is closed to tourists from midday to 3pm.
Visitors are not permitted to pray inside the main prayer hall.
General visiting hours are 9am to 8.30pm from Saturday to Thursday. On Fridays, hours are 9am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 8.30pm. The centre also offers night cultural tours.
Dress code
Visitors must follow a modest dress code inside the complex. Women must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting, ankle-length clothing that covers the arms to the wrists and legs to the ankles. Transparent fabrics, tight clothing, shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops are not allowed.
The centre no longer lends abayas to visitors who arrive without suitable clothing, as it did before the Covid pandemic. Visitors can instead buy an abaya for Dh45 at Souq Al Jami, next to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Men wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts, tight clothing, or garments with inappropriate slogans or profanity will be refused entry. Long trousers covering the ankles are required. Shirts must have at least short sleeves; long sleeves are recommended.
Top attraction
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was envisioned by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The mosque was built between 1996 and 2007 and opened in December 2007. The centre is described as a place that promotes tolerance and coexistence, and brings together various cultures.
According to state media outlet Wam, the centre welcomed 3,127,607 guests in the first half of this year. This consisted of 1,841,305 worshippers and fasting guests, 1,241,808 visitors from various nationalities, and 44,494 users of the centre's recreational walking track.
Statistics show 78 per cent of the mosque's visitors were from outside the UAE, highlighting its growing prominence in global cultural tourism.
Asia accounted for 52 per cent of visitors, followed by Europe with 31 per cent. By country, India ranked first, followed by China, Russia, the US and Germany.
