Dubai Resident Transforms Home into a Living Museum of UAE's Historical Transformation

Shaukat Ali Rana, a long-time resident of Dubai, has meticulously curated his home into a unique museum, preserving the rich history and rapid evolution of the UAE. His collection features old passports, faded photographs, travel permits, and vintage televisions, offering a tangible connection to life in the Emirates before its dramatic modernization.

Mr. Rana first arrived in the UAE in 1968 as a young boy, a time when Dubai was vastly different. Roads were few, inter-emirate travel required permits, and television access was limited. He joined his father, Rafi, who worked for Pakistan International Airlines in the Trucial States, then under British protection until 1971. Over the decades, Mr. Rana has amassed a significant collection of memorabilia that chronicles the nation's journey from its early years to its current status as an economic powerhouse.

He has dedicated a portion of his family home in Mirdif to this archive, arranging items chronologically to narrate Dubai's story across seven decades. The collection includes official documents, currencies, and everyday objects that illustrate the country's transformation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Rana began organizing this extensive archive, converting part of his kitchen into a display area.

Legal documents, currencies, and other unique artifacts have been sent to the US for official verification for the public record. The walls of his mini-museum are adorned with black-and-white photographs, many taken by Mr. Rana himself, alongside vintage cameras, radios, record players, and televisions. Old currency and official papers provide insight into the practicalities of daily life before and after the UAE's formation.

“We have kept this for the next generation. I have so many other things to add, but I am running out of space,” Mr. Rana shared with The National. “I try to select the best ones, which have a story to tell, that people can relate to, they can see it and they can touch it.”

The varied collection includes water bills from the 1970s, old passports, driving licenses, and permits necessary for travel between emirates prior to unification. A notable item is an original trade license from 1958, which established the family business with Mr. Rana’s uncle, Mohammed Sadiq. Remarkably, the business still uses the same PO box number, 504504, today.

The family business initially served as a vital link for foreign workers, offering postal and telegram services to connect them with families abroad. It later evolved into a photography and printing operation, importing necessary supplies like cameras, chemicals, paper, and film. Today, the business offers digital printing services and exports digital art.

“Nowadays, the camera and photograph are almost finished,” Mr. Rana observed. “In those days we used to have imported photographs and photographic chemicals. Then we used to import papers for printing and film rolls; it was a complete photography and printing business.”

Drawers are filled with meticulously labeled bills and legal notices, showcasing the administrative landscape of the UAE's early years. The collection also features currency items, including Indian rupees, which were once legal tender in the Trucial States, followed by the Qatari rial, and eventually the UAE dirham.

Commemorative medals, coins, and stamps are displayed in cases, marking significant events from the Apollo 14 mission in 1971 to milestones in space exploration, including the UAE's own space endeavors. Mr. Rana's dedication has garnered recognition, including a community award at the Erth Awards ceremony in April, presented by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. He was honored for his