Al Fahidi Fort, which houses the Dubai Museum, is the oldest surviving building in the city, built around 1799. It served at various points as a palace, garrison, and prison before being converted into a museum in 1970 and substantially expanded in 1995.
The museum does a good job of evoking what Dubai looked like before oil changed everything — atmospheric dioramas with life-size figures and sound effects recreate the Creek, traditional coral-and-gypsum houses, mosques, the souk, date gardens, and desert and marine life. The pearl-diving exhibit is a highlight, showing the weights, scales, and equipment of the trade that sustained the city for centuries.
Also worth seeing are the archaeological finds from graves at Al Ghusais dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years — evidence of a very long human presence in this part of the Gulf. Admission is inexpensive and the museum is one of the more worthwhile stops in the city.