Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili

Behind heavy teak doors, this ornate building on the edge of the Spice Souq was built in 1923. It was formerly the home of Mubarak Bin Al Oqaili (1875–1954), a Saudi-born poet who moved to Dubai and is considered one of the most prominent writers of classical Arabic. Al Oqaili brought a team of workers from Saudi’s Al Ahsa region to build his home, which is now known as the Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili (dubaiculture.gov.ae; free entry). The space is split into nine wings where visitors can see examples of his writings and poems, as well as original manuscripts and some of the late poet’s belongings, including his much-used writing desk and pen.