The National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah, located in the 18th century Al Husen Fort, is one of the Emirate's cultural landmarks. The fort is located behind the General Police Headquarters and is considered an integral part of the Old City, which formerly housed the Ras Al Khaimah family home. The signing of a peace treaty between the Gulf Sheikhs and the British government within its walls in 1820 brought it historical fame.
The fort served as a strong defence. Although it was rarely used for defence purposes. In 1987, Sheikh Saqrom Bin Mohammad Al-Qassimi, the ruler of the Emirate, signed a decree to establish a National Museum on the fort.
The fort museum consists of a number of sections. The most valuable historical exhibits are in the sections located in the upper part of the building. The lower part of the museum is occupied by various historical exhibits found by archaeologists in the lands of the emirate. Here visitors can see an amazing collection of ethnological and archaeological finds, including jewellery, traditional household items and other valuable exhibits: unique manuscripts, historical documents and others. The collection of items that once belonged to pirates, such as blades and daggers, cannons from pirate ships, costumes and muskets, is particularly popular with visitors to the Ras al-Khaimah National Museum.
The National Museum building itself, with its watchtowers, curved staircases, wide terraces and huge courtyard, is also considered an architectural landmark and conforms to the basic principles of fortified Arabian architecture developed over many centuries. To protect the museum exhibits from the sun and sand, the courtyard is covered with a special vaulted structure.
