The Louvre Abu Dhabi The First Museum Of Its Kind In The UAE Will Open Next Month

Today Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first museum of its kind in the UAE, announced it will open to the public on 11 November, 2017.

Encompassing galleries, a Children’s Museum, café, restaurant and boutique, the Louvre Abu Dhabi‘s opening weekend celebrations will include performances, symposiums and dance events.

Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel has designed a unique complex in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that will house a wealth of artefacts, artworks and loans from France’s top museums.

Under a vast shimmering 180-metre dome, light will filter through an intricately-designed geometric pattern onto visitors as they promenade through the museum spaces that overlooks the sea.

Focusing on the shared cultural stories across civilisations, the museum will not follow traditional museography, instead spanning human existence in its entirety.

‘Louvre Abu Dhabi embodies our belief that nations thrive on diversity and acceptance, with a curatorial narrative that emphasises how interconnected the world has always been,’ said His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. ‘The museum represents the latest innovation in a long-standing tradition of cultural preservation nurtured by the founding leaders of the UAE.’

Visitors can expect a wide variety on show from thematic displays, an introduction to funerary rituals, the exploration of similarities between geographical territories to the presentation of sacred texts, the artistic dialogue initiated through trading routes, and the impact of globalisation as questioned through a monumental work by Ai Weiwei.

American artist Jenny Holzer has created the museum’s first site-specific work. The three engraved stone walls that reference important historical texts quite literally infiltrate the architecture’s fabric in the outdoor areas.

‘With a unique global narrative and a vision to explore the history of art in a fresh context, Louvre Abu Dhabi is a place where visitors can come to understand their own and others’ cultures, said Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. ‘Its ground-breaking architecture complements a presentation of exceptional treasures that represent a snapshot of humanity’s creativity, and paves the way for new discussions.’

Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, +971 600 56 55 66

Want to see more on new art venues opening? Sweden’s Awesome Photography Museum, Fotografskia to Open in London’s East End

About the author

Freire Barnes

Art & Design Editor

Born in the heart of London, Freire's been surrounded by art since childhood. From being mesmerised by Fra Angelico's frescos in Florence to experiencing Dali's Mae West room in Caduceus, Freire's extensive travels instilled a love of the arts. After studying painting she worked for David Bowie's, Bowieart and began to write for the BBC, Bon and Dazed &amp Confused. She curated the Converse x Dazed Emerging Artists Award and was one of the first cohort to graduate from the Royal College of Art's Critical Writing in Art &amp Design MA. When not at an art opening, she's excited to bring her global art discoveries to the Culture Trip's readers.