Coronavirus: Qasr Al Watan reopens to public on Tuesday

The great hall at Qasr Al Watan, or Palace of the Nation, which opened its doors to the public in March 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, announced the building based in the palace compound is open for visitors to take part in tours. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The decision to create the new cultural landmark, he said, came from the President Sheikh Khalifa in a bid to boost cultural understanding of the UAE. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Qasr Al Watan is a building inside the compound of the Presidential Palace, which houses the formal offices of the UAE's President and Vice President and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Presidential Palace is the official meeting place for the UAE Cabinet and the Federal Supreme Council - the highest constitutional authority in the UAE. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A palace and garden ticket, which gives you access to all public spaces, inside and out, costs Dh60 for an adult and Dh30 for children aged four to 17 years. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sculpture Santos looks at The Power of Words. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A Hermle Clock from Kazakhstan that sits in the presidential gifts room of Qasr Al Watan. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The presidential banquet hall. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A sculpture of a horse from Turkmenistan in the presidential gifts room. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An early Arabic papyrus, from the palace's "house of knowledge". Chris Whiteoak / The National

Samurai armour from Japan, another gift to the UAE president. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Standard guided English or Arabic tours, directed by a tour guide, run every 30 minutes and cost Dh30 per visitor. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors are able to see examples of Arabian craftsmanship and art and are able to create traditional calligraphy on interactive screens, as well as explore centuries of knowledge in books focusing on the UAE in the Qasr Al Watan library. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Al Kashool in the house of knowledge. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors will also gain a deeper understanding about the rulers and institutions of the country. Chris Whiteoak / The National

There are two gift shops – one in the visitor centre and one in the main palace building, selling “exquisitely crafted gifts” and souvenirs inspired by Qasr Al Watan. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Qasr Al Watan will reopen for public tours on Tuesday with strict measures in place to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The cultural landmark in Abu Dhabi closed in March, when attractions across the country were shut to protect the public during the early months of the pandemic.

Anyone who wishes to visit Qasr Al Watan will have to make an online booking, tweeted Abu Dhabi Media Office.

Visitors can take tours of the site on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 am until 6pm.

From Thursday to Saturday, tours will be organised from 12pm to 7.30pm. There will be no site-seeing on Mondays.

The Palace in Motion sound and light show will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

But the Symphony of the Nation marching band will not perform and the Qasr Al Watan Library will remain closed until further notice.

Masks are mandatory and people will have their temperatures checked before entering the site.

Places will be limited to ensure visitors maintain physical distancing. Floor markings will be placed at regular intervals to help guests keep a safe distance of two metres from each other.

Tickets cost Dh60 for adults and Dh30 for children aged 4 to 17.

The site opened to the public in March 2019.

The library is home to a vast collection of books and resources on the UAE's political, social and cultural history.

In the west wing, guests could learn about the formation of the UAE and its government and enter halls typically reserved for official meetings.

In the House of Knowledge in the east wing, visitors could explore a vast collection of artefacts and rare manuscripts that highlight the Arab world’s contributions to fields such as science, arts, humanities and literature.

The Presidential Palace is home to the formal offices of the UAE's President, Vice President and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

The venue has hosted several global leaders since 2015, including Pope Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping.