Pakistani family preserves 60 years of Dubai history in private home museum

A Pakistani family residing in Dubai has converted their home into a private archive, documenting the emirate’s urban evolution through thousands of historical documents and photographs dating back to the 1960s. The collection, curated by the Quraishi family, includes original utility bills from 1968, handwritten rental agreements from the 1970s, and rare imagery of Dubai’s early infrastructure. The archive is led by 72-year-old Khalid Quraishi, who arrived in Dubai in 1967. Among the preserved items are Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) bills from more than five decades ago, alongside early Etisalat records and vehicle registration documents. These papers track the city’s transition from a regional trading hub to a global metropolis, reflecting changes in currency, administrative systems, and living costs. Historical documentation of early Dubai The collection includes physical evidence of Dubai’s growth, such as photographs of the Deira Clocktower and the first high-rise buildings on Sheikh Zayed Road. Khalid’s son, Farooq Quraishi, who helps maintain the home museum, noted that the family has kept every significant receipt and official letter since their arrival.…