Manarat Al Saadiyat

Manarat Al Saadiyat is a long-standing institution on the Abu Dhabi culture scene. Spread across 15,400 square metres (166,000 square feet), the museum on Saadiyat Island is home to many famous works of art such as Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey’s Ayoucha from 1843 Cairo (depicting the oldest known photograph of a veiled woman), a tile of arabesque patterns that has its origins in the Ottoman Empire dating back to 1570 and a silk painting that is from Japan’s late 17th century. There are also treasured pages from the Holy Quran and suwar from late 13th-century Syria. Workshops, film screenings and live music are all part of the centre’s ongoing programme. New art and photography studios allow budding artists to work on projects alongside a team of creatives. The cultural hotspot is also home to Abu Dhabi Art, an annual event that attracts creators and galleries from all over the world.