Ras Al Khaimah Travel Tips, Guides, Reviews!
- To help you plan a trip to Ras Al Khaimah, the Ras Al Khaimah Travel Tips and City Guide provides a summary of the important information you need.

National Museum
RAK National Museum has been established in 1987 according to an ordinance from His Highness Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, the Ruler of RAK in Al Hisin. This Hisin was built in the middle of the 18th century. It is located in the old RAK town after maintenance.

The Museum consists of so many parts most important of which is the Qawasim Room on the first floor. It contains documents, manuscript and treaties between the ruling family and the U.K. Government, and also some traditional weapons belonging to the Ruling Family.

The other important part is the one allotted for the antiquities, which were found in different parts of the Emirate. Age of some of these antiquities refers to 5000 BC, and some of them refer to the Islamic age. These antiquities are exhibited on the ground floor of the museum and they are arranged in historical order. There is also a room for silverware used by women for decoration.

Al Hisin
It was built in the middle of 18th century, during the Persian occupation between 1730- 1749. Most of the modern buildings inside it were built in the last 100 years.
It was used previously as a residence to the ruling family up to 1964, after wards it was used as a location to the general directorate of RAK Police, and later as a central jail up to 1984.

In 1987 His Highness Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohamed Al-Qasimi decided to use Al Hisin as Ras Al-Khaimah National Museum after maintaining it and reconditioning it using the original Local raw materials.

Ras Al Khaimah national Museum contains many antiquities explored in the emirate. It is considered to be one of the richest museums in UAE. There are so many annexes added to the museum, one of which belongs to the ruling family named Al-Qasimi annex.

There are also the heritage annex and rooms for the jewelleries, clothes (dresses), traditional weapons and native history. It has a section for archaeology, which contains a Lab rotary for classification and determination of the ages of the findings in co-operation with some European universities.

Shamal
Shamal soil is considered to be the most fertile in the Emirate. Some tombstones were left in Shamal since last thousand years. Many important Locations were found back to the oasis near the mountain. It is easy to reach there using Shamal main road. Beside the new road a big grave has been found which refers to Um Al Nar age, its date is about 4500 years. This grave is circular with a diameter of 14.5 meters. It is considered to be the Largest found in UAE. It was built with decorated walls; it was full of findings, which have been shifted to the museum. These findings show the Um Al Nar civilization was very rich and her people were skilful.

Wadi souk culture left behind a large graveyard containing so many graves from 4000 years back. They are very rare graves and unique in the Emirates. These graves were found only in RAK. Some of these graves contain Maglethian characteristics, already excavation of these graves is over and the sight can receive visitors. On the mountain, on the high point of new Shamal village there is a palace which reverts to the middle ages and it is the only palace found in UAE This palace is known in the mythology science as (Al Zabba’a Palace), although that queen lived in prior period to that palace building time.

Water tanks and defending walls were built on the hill at Shamal, but the palace was built in the front side of the hill. It has a look out on the Shamal fertile valley.

So many rooms and water tanks are available there. The original roofs are still there as a sign of the brilliant and skilled past. This palace had connection with Julfar trading town, Julfar was the name of RAK previously.

Al Falaya
The houses of Al Fillaya were built in the 18th century as summer lodging for Al Quasim Family. These houses were surrounded with palm gardens; also the locals from RAK to spend the summer time there used some houses.

Historically this location is considered to be important because the peace treaty between the Quasim and the Oman's British armed forces was signed there in the year 1819.

In the year 1820 a peace treaty was signed between the Sheikhs of the Arab Gulf Coast and the British Government at Al Fillaya. Due to this treaty and after a small period UAE has been established.

Watchtowers
Everywhere in the fertile valley of RAK a visitor can find signs of the past where fighting was something normal between the people. The watchtowers are about 60 towers, most of them have been maintained and reconditioned and the rest are still as they are.

These remaining towers are the evidence for the strong defence net which protected the lands, palm trees gardens and the village of RAK. On the hills, highlands and some times in the centre of palm oasis these watchtowers were built with the hands of skillful soldiers as a protection from any enemy they can face.