Oum Kalthoum, one of the Arab World's most revered artists, was born on 31 December 1899 and passed away on 3 February 1975.

Affiliated with the Cultural Development Fund, the museum is a testimony to the musical wealth created by the biggest star of Arabic music.

Located at the historic Manasterly Palace at Roda Island, the museum consists of recordings of Oum Kalthoum and her personal possessions, which were collected by the state from her family and friends.

The museum, which was established in 1998, comprises numerous halls, including a cinema hall where visitors can watch a 26-minutes-long documentary presenting the life and career of the Star of the Orient. The footage also shows numerous concerts that Oum Kalthoum held in Egypt and across the Arab world.

The hall housing the singer’s personal belongings includes eight of the dresses she wore during her concerts and parties, her iconic glasses, as well as a brooch that she was wore during many of her performances.

The museum also features a litany of gifts and awards that were given to the singer, such as the Nile Pendant she received from late president Gamal Abdel-Nasser, the National Cedar Medal from Lebanon, the Syrian Merit Medal and the Medal of Intellectual Competence from Morocco, the Medal of Merit from Egypt, the Order of the Lebanese Musicians’ Syndicate, and many others.

Furthermore, the museum’s Panorama Hall displays pictures of the singer that were taken throughout her life, including photographs from her performances, the film sets she was on, and other artists and heads of Arab countries that she has met. 

Additionally, the Library Hall has five computers filled with audio and video material related to Oum Kalthoum, including recordings that date back to 1924, when her career was jus starting out.

The display also includes a recent gift from the UAE National Archive and Library which offered to the museum copies of the book titled ‘Oum Kalthoum in Abu Dhabi’, allowing readers and researchers to learn about an important chapter in the life of the singer.

The book details her trip to Abu Dhabi and documents an important page in the cultural history of the UAE, presenting an image of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan receiving the legendary singer at his palace.

The museum is open Sunday through Thursday between 9am and 4pm.