The Story Behind
MyMuseums
We started as three friends with museum memberships and strong opinions. Now we're a twelve-person editorial team spanning three countries.
Why This Exists
MyMuseums began in late 2021 as a personal blog — a place to organize notes from weekend museum visits across the UAE. James Al-Rashidi, a former gallery assistant at Sharjah Art Foundation, found himself scribbling reviews in a notebook and emailing them to friends who kept asking "which museums are actually worth visiting?"
The blog gained traction because it was honest. James wrote about museums he loved and museums that disappointed him in equal measure. He didn't take press passes. He bought his own tickets. And he said things that polished tourism brochures wouldn't — like which museums have terrible signage, which audio guides are still voiced by text-to-speech robots, and which cafés serve overpriced sandwiches to captive audiences.
By mid-2022, two colleagues — Dr. Layla Noor (an Islamic art historian based in Dubai) and Ahmed Soliman (a former Egyptian Museum guide in Cairo) — joined the project. When Saudi Arabia opened its heritage sites to international tourists, Sarah bin Talal came on board from Riyadh. Today the team numbers twelve, with correspondents in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla, Cairo, Luxor, and Alexandria.
At a Glance
Our Editorial Standards
✍️ Independence First
We don't accept free tickets, press junkets, or sponsored partnerships that involve editorial influence. Our reviewers pay their own admission. When a museum is disappointing, our readers hear about it — even if the institution has a marketing budget larger than our annual revenue.
👁️ Two-Visit Minimum
Every published review is based on at least two separate visits by different team members. Museums change — exhibitions rotate, crowds vary by season, renovations close wings. A second visit catches what the first one missed and eliminates individual reviewer bias.
📐 Real Practical Info
We verify opening hours, ticket prices, and access information before every publication cycle. If a museum's website says one thing and reality says another, we report reality. We also note practical details that official sites omit: wheelchair accessibility, stroller storage, whether the gift shop is worth browsing.
Who Writes the Reviews
James Al-Rashidi
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Former gallery assistant at Sharjah Art Foundation. MA Museum Studies (UCL). Covers UAE museums and writes the weekly newsletter. Known for reviews that run to 1,500 words when he's enthusiastic.
Dr. Layla Noor
Senior Critic
PhD Islamic Art History (SOAS). Writes for ArtReview and Hyperallergic. Specializes in contemporary Gulf art and curatorial practice. Will always find the best coffee within walking distance of any museum.
Ahmed Soliman
Egypt Correspondent
Cairo University Egyptology graduate. Spent four years guiding visitors through the Egyptian Museum. Now covers Egypt's rapidly transforming museum landscape and the Grand Egyptian Museum opening.
Sarah bin Talal
KSA Bureau Chief
Based in Riyadh. Former cultural affairs journalist for Arab News. Covers Saudi Vision 2030 cultural projects including AlUla development, Jeddah Historic District, and NEOM's planned museums.