Fodor's Expert Review Al-Ahmadiya School

A window to the past, this school was founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Dalmouk in 1912 and operated until 1962. But today it's been renovated and the classrooms have been laid out to look like they would have in the 1920s and 1930s. Some have a formal appearance with twin desks in neat rows, and others feature life-size figures of boys sitting cross-legged on the floor around the Al-Muttawa, or religious teacher. The building's structure, especially the central courtyard, is a fine example of Islamic architecture with delicate fluted arches. One wing has an interesting collection of sepia photographs depicting several generations of the Al Maktoum family and daily scenes from Dubai during the 20th century.