Isolated from the urban jungle and planted in the middle of the desert is a massive metallic pyramid that almost matches the color of its surrounding sandy landscape. If viewed from the sky, you might mistake it as another legendary creation of Egyptian architecture.
"Could this be one of Egypt's tombs for the pharaohs?" This was my ignorant reaction the first time I heard about it.
On the contrary, as you'll uncover more details, this building is a man-made structure that was constructed to appear like a pyramid. It was not built as a burial chamber for ancient royalty. Instead, it's a monumental complex housing an interesting collection of over 200 exotic and luxurious cars, branded automobiles, and other unique vehicles purchased from around the world.
Let me welcome you to the Emirates National Auto Museum (ENAM) located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
This exclusive property is owned by Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, a lavish billionaire and is also said to be eccentric in his ways. He even commissioned a super-massive text project to be engraved in the dunes of neighboring Futaisi Island (another property he owns) - an extremely large group of letters spelling his name that was visible from space.
Because his private car collection ballooned tremendously, he decided to build a unique museum to exhibit all of his favorite automobiles. This was his humble way of showing generosity to his community.
Hence, ENAM was born.
Some years ago, I had the opportunity to work in the UAE's capital city. And since my weekends there were usually free, I'd spend my time discovering the nation's captivating landmarks.
Driven by my relentless curiosity, adventurous spirit, and hunger for wanderlust, this was definitely a unique destination worth visiting and exploring. Because of its inspiring history, cultural background, and my strong fondness for cars, my firm decision to experience this piece of real estate was inevitable.
And so during one of those weekends, I set the course for ENAM.
How To Get There?
There were no available modes of public transportation to this area back then. The most ideal means of reaching the site was via GPS-enabled private vehicles or auto rentals. An Internet-equipped smartphone with a Map App would also come in handy as a direction guide. It would take approximately 30-45 minutes to drive southbound from Abu Dhabi and arrive at the location.
This is the museum's exact address:
Emirates National Auto Museum (ENAM)
South of Abu Dhabi, Hamim Road, Off E11, Al Dhafra
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
While on my way there, I couldn't help but wonder, "How does it feel to own so many cars? Would I even have the time to drive all of them? What's the lifestyle of an extremely rich person?" These burning questions all the more increased my persistent urge in seeing this place with my very own eyes.
"The destination is on your left," was the announcement made by the soothing female voice from my car's GPS device.
Unusual Outdoor Exhibits
Upon arriving at the museum's main entry gate, we were greeted by the facility's personnel and a ticket fee of AED 50 was collected from each person. The entire complex consisted not only of the museum but also incorporated other important facilities like staff workplaces and quarters, maintenance amenities, support buildings, etc.
During that trip, I purposely brought along a friend who assisted me in taking memorable photographs of the venue. You wouldn't enjoy traveling alone, would you? (Well, sometimes you could, but that's another story.)
Anyway, as we approached the exhibition platforms, we were greeted right away by some strange-looking objects. The first one that caught our eyes was the large ball-shaped mobile home. This was a gigantic trailer that resembled our planet Earth and was situated right in front of the pyramid.
Further down the left side of the complex, another unconventional exhibit was present. It was likewise a caravan trailer that was extremely massive that it garnered the Guinness Book of World Record's title of "the largest mobile home on 2 wheels" in the entire planet.
Its accompanying towing vehicle was a giant military-style jeep that used to be parked beside it. It was stationed outside the complex. This green behemoth looks regular-sized in the attached photo, but its actual size was roughly more than 10 meters high dwarfing the average height of a human being.
A standard commercial airliner was also displayed on the outskirts of the complex. Notice how the scattered sand particles covered the plane's body.
Another featured outdoor exhibit was a giant replica of a Land Rover. Look at how large it was compared to the car below!
Even the neighboring smaller buildings within the complex were designed with triangular roofs to mimic the main pyramid's architectural profile.
It was time to experience the central highlight of this trip - the pyramid. And before I proceeded inside, I took a quick snapshot of the museum's front signage.
Inside The Pyramid
From an outside perspective, you simply couldn't fathom how big this triangular structure was until you got inside. Yet, as I entered this facility, I was amazed at how humungous the inner space appeared with its real dimensions.
"WOW!" I shouted at the top of my voice with eyes wide-open and eyebrows fully raised. The museum's spacious interior took my breath away! Indeed, this was the first impression I could never forget!
And sure enough, as expected, I saw various display zones featuring a vast array of classic automobiles, vintage cars, off-road trucks, military vehicles, modified assemblies, and some unconventional transportation systems.
Our next assignment would be the exploration of the major inner exhibition halls one by one. It was certainly an extensive tour - more than 2 hours in total. Thus, follow me as I share with you a visual treat of that journey. So be ready with your second mug of coffee.
Goliath Dodge Pickup Truck
Without a doubt, this was the eye-catcher of the whole show! It captured my attention immediately and my bulging eyes didn't miss it. Apparently, it was the main attraction and was installed at the center of the museum. I was flabbergasted at the size of this enormous vehicle!
Technically, this Dodge Power Wagon was approximately 8 times the size of the original unit. The normal-sized cars below this red giant all appeared smaller compared to the colossal truck above them.
Believe it or not, there was a functional apartment inside this monster truck! The only access towards the upper level was through a metal staircase constructed underneath.
Upon reaching the upper level, we enjoyed a bird's eye view of the different exhibits below.
This built-in apartment has a living room, a few bedrooms, a small kitchen plus a toilet and bathroom. Not bad for a compact condominium unit! This reality completely surprised me because in my initial glance, I thought this huge truck had a real engine and was an operational machine. Yet, an apartment inside? That was mind-boggling!
The front outer grilles that were meant for the radiator exhaust of the truck's main engines were transformed into vertical slit windows. You can clearly see me with my arms stretched outward. What an ingenious creation!
Varieties of Vintage Cars
Of course, the world's first patented car was here! Called the 3-wheeled Benz Patent Motor Car Model No. 1, it was manufactured in 1886 and was powered by a gas engine. It had its special spot in the museum.
Another interesting piece was the Ford Model T, invented in 1908, and later on would become the world's first commercial automobile to be massed produced on an assembly line.
There were also plenty of popular classic cars on display. These were some of them. Perhaps they might tickle your fancy?
Different Classes of Limousines
Moreover, there were also some vehicles meant for dignitaries and limousines for diplomats and other influential persons.
The Mercedes Brand
Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan was obviously fascinated by this German car company. Did you know that he was also nicknamed the Rainbow Sheikh? And this was clearly evident in his outstanding collection of 7 Mercedes S-Classes rendered in the colors of the rainbow. How colorfully creative could you get?
He even owned other modified Mercedes cars to suit his personal tastes. This included a special edition automobile that was adorned with real gold trims! I'm pretty sure the overall price of this car would have skyrocketed!
Luxury and Fast Cars
For the sports-minded car racer, there was an awesome array of vehicles to satisfy your need for speed.
Off-road Trucks, Jeeps & Military Vehicles
If you're a military buff, an off-road specialist or a fan of the outdoor lifestyle, this section of the museum would open up your mind to overflowing imagination.
A Line-up of Small Cars
I wasn't expecting these types of cars to be included in the collection. However, I realized that these vital categories of vehicles also had their brilliant allure and mass appeal.
Unusual Transportation Systems
And last but not the least, there was a handful of strange-looking vehicles that you wouldn't see on public roads. It was not very often that we could catch these unconventional prototypes. I'd guess these units were custom-made to suit their particular functions.
My Concluding Thoughts
If you're a car enthusiast like me, ENAM is absolutely the perfect museum for "petrolheads" like you! I had the chance to experience other automobile exhibition spaces around the globe, but for now, nothing compares to this one. There are several reasons why you should include ENAM in your bucket list of must-go destinations. Here are some of them:
• An immense haven of various motor vehicles to enjoy
• The ideal opportunity to witness one of the important legacies of Abu Dhabi's ruling family
• A chance to be up close and personal with record-breaking automobiles and rare transport inventions
• One of the ultimate sources of creative ideas for car advocates
• An authentic collection of material evidence to show what the abundance of money can buy
There were probably newer and more advanced automobiles added to the existing museum collection as the years went by. Therefore, it's definitely worthwhile to give this treasure trove of amazing vehicles a visit!
This significant adventure was truly one of the most unforgettable travel moments during my UAE days.
Thank you Hivers for joining me on this virtual travel experience!
Bye for now and see you in the next one. Cheers!
Originally posted on STORIES OF ERNE. Hive blog powered by ENGRAVE.