Hotels near Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame stands 150 metres tall and 93 metres wide, shaped like an enormous gilded picture frame rising from Zabeel Park. The design is deliberate - look through one side and you see the modern skyline of Downtown and Sheikh Zayed Road; turn around and the view is of older Deira and Bur Dubai. An elevator takes visitors to the Sky Deck at the top, which features a glass-floor walkway that becomes transparent beneath your feet. General admission is 50 AED (EUR 12), making it one of the most affordable observation experiences in Dubai.

The ground-floor museum uses projections and holograms to tell Dubai's transformation story, from fishing village to global city. The entire visit takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Zabeel Park itself (5 AED entry) is a pleasant green space with a boating lake and jogging tracks, worth combining with your Frame visit.

Pro Tip: Arrive right when it opens at 9am. By mid-morning the glass-floor walkway gets crowded and you will spend more time queuing than enjoying the view. Morning light also gives the best contrast between the old and new sides of the city.