# Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi > Qasr Al Watan is the UAE's working presidential palace at the western tip of Abu Dhabi island, next to Emirates Palace. It is open daily as of November 2026, roughly 10am–5pm. Tickets are AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30, and include the evening Palace in Motion light show. Allow about two hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-watan - City: [Abu Dhabi](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi), United Arab Emirates - YesGo score: 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Entry: AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30 - With kids: Fine with kids - Status: Open to visitors, tickets on sale (as of 03.11.2026) - Adult ticket: AED 65, Palace in Motion included - Ages 4–17: AED 30 - Ages 3 and under: Free - Light show only: AED 25, children AED 12 - Hours: Daily, about 10:00–17:00 — set month by month - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered, no flip-flops - Bags: Max 50 × 35 cm, no lockers - Re-entry: Not allowed once you leave the palace building - Where to buy: Official website or the Visitor Centre ticket desk - Parking: Free at the Visitor Centre; valet AED 35 - Getting there: Taxi from Qasr Al Hosn ≈ 10–15 min, or the free Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle - Address: Al Ras Al Akhdar, western tip of Abu Dhabi island - Coordinates: 24.46225, 54.30551 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **37 m** — diameter of the dome over the Great Hall (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; The National, 2026) - **11 March 2019** — the palace first opened to the public (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; The National, 2026 (year of opening)) - **Working palace** — hosts state visits and meetings of the Federal Supreme Council and the UAE Cabinet (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Qasr Al Watan official website) - **350,000** — crystal pieces in the Spirit of Collaboration chandelier (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; The National, 2026) - **50,000+** — books and documents in the palace library (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; The National, 2026) - **2017** — construction completed (Wikidata gives 2015) (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Presidential Gifts** — an exhibition of gifts presented to UAE leaders (source: Qasr Al Watan official website; The National, 2026) - **Power of Words** — sculptures by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej (source: English Wikipedia; The National, 2026) - **Al Ras Al Akhdar** — the district at the western end of the Corniche (source: Qasr Al Watan official website; Visit Abu Dhabi) ## Qasr Al Watan tickets and prices An adult ticket is **AED 65**, a junior ticket (ages 4–17) is **AED 30** and children 3 and under go free. It covers every open hall, the gardens, the library and the evening **Palace in Motion** show. A show-only ticket is AED 25 (children AED 12). Children 11 and under must be with a ticketed adult. Buy on the official Qasr Al Watan website — the e-ticket arrives by email and you can show it on your phone — or at the Visitor Centre desk. Tickets are dated, non-refundable and single-entry. Online payment is by bank card; a guided tour can be added at the gate. > **It's a working palace — it closes for state visits** As of 3 November 2026 Qasr Al Watan is open: tickets are on sale and there is no closure notice on the official site. But it is still the President's working palace, and it shuts to visitors during state visits and summits, sometimes for several days. Check the calendar on the official site the day before; hours are published month by month. ## Opening hours and Palace in Motion times The palace is open **every day**, with no weekly closing day. For November 2026 ticket partners list **10am–5pm**, while some guides give 11am–6:30pm — treat both as unofficial, because the official calendar only loads in a browser. Last entry is at closing time, but you need about two hours inside, so arrive by 3pm. After sunset the façade becomes the screen for **Palace in Motion**, a light and sound show of about 15 minutes, starting around 7:45–8pm; the time moves with the seasons. Show entry closes 30 minutes before it starts. Times change during Ramadan and public holidays, when the show may not run. > **Dress code and what you can't bring** Cover shoulders and knees: no shorts, sleeveless tops or see-through clothes, and no flip-flops. No food or drinks except bottled water, no knives, long umbrellas, alcohol or large bags. Personal photos are fine everywhere except of security staff; smart glasses and other wearable cameras are banned, and tripods must be under 15 inches. The palace cafés are temporarily closed — only a grab-and-go kiosk is open. ## How to get to Qasr Al Watan 1. Abu Dhabi has no metro. From [Qasr Al Hosn](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-hosn) downtown, a **taxi** takes about 10–15 minutes west along the Corniche. 2. For free, take the **Experience Abu Dhabi** tourist shuttle: route A2 runs from the Qasr Al Hosn stop to Qasr Al Watan. No ticket — you scan a QR code on board. Check the timetable on Visit Abu Dhabi. 3. Everyone arrives at the **Visitor Centre**: ticket desk, free parking and an airport-style security check. Bags must fit 50 × 35 cm, and there are no lockers. 4. A free palace shuttle runs from the Visitor Centre to the palace entrance in a few minutes. 5. Inside: the Great Hall, the east and west wings, the library and gardens. Staying for the show? Stay put — once you leave the building there's no way back in. ## Is Qasr Al Watan worth visiting? Yes, if you like architecture and grand interiors: nothing else in Abu Dhabi matches the scale of the Great Hall and its 37-metre dome. It is not a historic building, though — it was finished in 2017 and opened to the public on 11 March 2019. For genuine old Abu Dhabi, start at Qasr Al Hosn and save the palace for an afternoon that runs into the light show. With one day in the city, put the [Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/sheikh-zayed-grand-mosque) first; Qasr Al Watan is the strongest second pick, especially if you want an evening plan. ## What to see inside - The **Great Hall** under its 37-metre dome — the shot everyone comes for. - The **Spirit of Collaboration** chamber, with a chandelier of 350,000 crystal pieces, where summits and Cabinet meetings take place. - The **Presidential Gifts** exhibition — objects presented to UAE leaders by visiting delegations. - The **Qasr Al Watan Library**, with more than 50,000 books on the history and culture of the country and region. - Mattar bin Lahej's **Power of Words** sculptures by the Great Hall and in the gardens. - The gardens and façade at sunset, then Palace in Motion on the palace walls. ## Where is Qasr Al Watan? It stands in **Al Ras Al Akhdar**, at the western tip of Abu Dhabi island where the [Corniche](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/abu-dhabi-corniche) ends, next door to [Emirates Palace](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/emirates-palace). The palace sits inside the secured presidential compound, so every visitor goes through the Visitor Centre rather than the palace gates. Don't come straight from Zayed International Airport (AUH) with luggage: suitcases won't get through security. Leave luggage at your hotel or at the airport. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Checked the official calendar — the palace is open today - [ ] Dated ticket on my phone - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered, proper shoes - [ ] Small bag only, suitcase left at the hotel - [ ] Arriving by 3pm - [ ] Staying for Palace in Motion — it's already in the ticket ## Qasr Al Watan or Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | | Qasr Al Watan | Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Working presidential palace | The country's main working mosque | | Entry | AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30 | AED 10 tourist fee since September 2026 | | Evenings | Palace in Motion light show | — | | Inside | State halls, gifts, library | Prayer hall and courtyards | Only one day in Abu Dhabi? The mosque comes first. Make the palace your second day or your evening with the show. ## Abu Dhabi palaces compared Abu Dhabi's palaces rated by YesGo. - [Emirates Palace](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/emirates-palace) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free entry; gold cappuccino AED 90 - [Qasr Al Hosn](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-hosn) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ AED 30, under-18s free - [Qasr Al Watan](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-watan) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30 ## Old downtown, the Corniche and the palace in a day Qasr Al Hosn in the morning, a walk along the Corniche past Emirates Palace, the palace by 3pm and the light show on its walls after dark. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Qasr Al Hosn](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-hosn) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ AED 30, under-18s free 2. [Abu Dhabi Corniche](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/abu-dhabi-corniche) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; family beach sections AED 10 3. [Emirates Palace](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/emirates-palace) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free entry; gold cappuccino AED 90 4. [Qasr Al Watan](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/abu-dhabi/qasr-al-watan) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · AED 65, ages 4–17 AED 30 ## Not to be confused with Qasr Al Watan is not Emirates Palace, the hotel next door, and not Qasr Al Hosn, the old fort downtown that was once the rulers' residence. "Qasr Al Watan" means Palace of the Nation. ## Tips - Arrive around 3pm: you see the halls in daylight and then catch the light show on the same ticket. - Pack a scarf or light layer — the easy way to meet the dress code if you're in summer clothes for the rest of the day. - Shoot the Great Hall from the entrance while the whole dome still fits in frame; your phone's wide-angle lens helps. - Eat beforehand: the cafés inside are closed and outside food isn't allowed. - Driving? Parking at the Visitor Centre is free, so skip the valet. ## Questions ### How much are Qasr Al Watan tickets? AED 65 for adults and AED 30 for ages 4–17; children 3 and under are free. The ticket includes the Palace in Motion show. ### Is Qasr Al Watan open now? Yes — as of 3 November 2026 it is open and selling tickets. It closes during state visits, so check the official site the day before. ### What are Qasr Al Watan opening hours? Daily; in November 2026 roughly 10am–5pm (unofficial), with last entry at closing time. Hours change month by month — check the official calendar. ### What is the dress code at Qasr Al Watan? Shoulders and knees covered; no shorts, sleeveless tops, see-through clothes or flip-flops. The palace rules say nothing about headscarves. ### What time is Palace in Motion? Every evening after sunset, around 7:45–8pm, for about 15 minutes. Be there 30 minutes early — entry closes then. ### How do I get to Qasr Al Watan? Taxi (about 10–15 minutes from downtown) or the free Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle to the Visitor Centre, then the free palace shuttle to the entrance. ### How long do you need at Qasr Al Watan? About two hours for the halls, library and gardens; add an hour if you stay for the evening show. ### Is Qasr Al Watan worth it? Yes for architecture and interiors on a huge scale. It's a modern building, so for real history pick Qasr Al Hosn — and if you have one day only, do the Grand Mosque first. ### Can you take photos inside Qasr Al Watan? Yes, personal photos and video are allowed everywhere. You can't film security staff, wearable cameras are banned and tripods must be under 15 inches. ### Can I bring luggage to Qasr Al Watan? No. Bags larger than 50 × 35 cm are refused and there are no lockers, so leave suitcases at your hotel or the airport. ## How we checked The adult price, what the ticket includes, junior age band, rules, dress code, bag limit, parking and the Visitor Centre shuttle come from the official palace website. The junior price (AED 30) and the show-only ticket (AED 25 / 12) come from Visit Abu Dhabi, the emirate's official tourism portal. The official site only shows opening hours in a browser calendar, so the hours come from ticket partners and are marked “verifying”; sources differ (10am–5pm vs 11am–6:30pm), so we show both. Show start times (7:45 vs 8pm) differ too. Visit Abu Dhabi lists valet at AED 80, the official site AED 35; we show the official figure. The dome, chandelier and library are checked against Wikipedia and The National. We found no 2026 security-related closure of the palace, unlike some other UAE venues: on 03.11.2026 tickets are on sale and no notice is posted. Shuttle route A2 is from Property Finder and the official site; the timetable is unofficial. We did not time the taxi ride ourselves. The English core comes from search results and “People also ask”. ## Sources - Qasr Al Watan official website (qasralwatan.ae): tickets, terms, visitor rules, dress code, getting here, 03.11.2026 - Visit Abu Dhabi (Department of Culture and Tourism): junior and show-only prices, 03.11.2026 - English and Russian Wikipedia: Qasr Al Watan; Wikidata Q61973220 - The National, August 2026 — the halls, dome, chandelier and library - Property Finder, February 2026 — Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle routes - Headout, Ticket Fairy — opening hours and show times (unofficial) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.