Built originally in 1896, the house served both as a residence for the ruling shaikh and his family and as a fort protecting the entry to the Creek. As was typical of the period, the structure was built of blocks of coral covered with lime and plaster. The house encloses a courtyard with four wind towers, which funnel the slightest breeze downward into the living quarters to keep it as cool as possible. Consisting of dozens of rooms, many of which have are furnished with period pieces, it housed five Maktoum families in both single and two-storey apartments. The present government of Dubai has spent an enormous amount of money restoring the house. Before the restoration, it lay virtually in total ruin. It now houses a first-rate museum which traces the history of the house, the Al-Maktoum family, and Dubai itself, back to its early days as a sleepy outpost on the Arabian Gulf eeking a modest income from pearl diving and fishing. Life in those days was very, very tough, and represents a far cry from the hedonistic glitz of Dubai's current incarnation.