Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan add Bollywood star power to Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi opening

Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan joined Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and other UAE leaders and dignitaries at the opening ceremony of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi on Thursday night.

The highly anticipated museum on Saadiyat Island opens to the public on Saturday.

The Khans, two of the biggest stars in India, have close ties with the UAE and own properties in the country.

On Thursday, they spent time touring the museum's collections and exhibits along with guests.

"This is mind-blowing," Shah Rukh Khan says in a video of the tour posted by Visit Abu Dhabi.

"This is the real Jurassic Park," Salman Khan adds.

Other international celebrities at the event included TV presenter Steve Harvey; Adam Savage, host of the science TV show MythBusters; and Jurassic World stars David Iacono and Audrina Miranda. Joining them were music producer and entrepreneur Swizz Beatz; and actors Ron Perlman and Giancarlo Esposito.

Spanning more than 35,000 square metres, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi chronicles several eras of natural history with a focus on the Arabian region. The cultural attraction will take visitors on a journey through time, from the formation of the universe and the solar system to the evolution of life on Earth, the age of dinosaurs and the extensive biodiversity of the present day.

Star attractions include the 11.7-metre-tall fossilised skeleton of Stan, the Tyrannosaurus rex; a 7-billion-year-old meteorite; and a recreation of Abu Dhabi from 7 million years ago.

The opening ceremony on Thursday was also attended by several UAE officials including Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, chairwoman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority; Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs; Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court; and Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court.

“Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is a place where knowledge meets wonder. The museum offers a different perspective of the story of life on Earth, framed for the first time through an Arabian lens,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

“Understanding our planet's past helps us protect its future, and that is the foundation of what we have built here.”

Ahead of the opening ceremony, Sheikh Khaled toured the museum along with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. They were shown the rich array of displays and exhibits housed within the sprawling venue.

Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi joins a collection of cultural institutions within Saadiyat Cultural District, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, and the coming Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.