Saadiyat Island is an unrivalled hub for arts and culture, home to world-class museums, galleries, and centres of learning, offering creative enrichment for the community and visitors alike. The iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum is located in the cultural district, opening in 2017 with inspiring architecture and a thought-provoking collections, bringing different cultures together to shine fresh light on the shared stories of humanity and truly is one of the modern urban wonders of the world with breathtaking architecture and fascinating artefacts inside.
In March 2007, the UAE and France formed an unprecedented partnership for cultural exchange and the highlight of this was the establishment of Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, exploring the shared themes that reveal and connect humanity and combining the UAE’s bold vision of cultural progression and openness, with France’s expertise in the world of art and museums.
With direct links to Le Louvre Museum in Paris, Agence France-Muséums who run 17 of France’s most renowned cultural institutions, coordinate the loan of artworks to Louvre Abu Dhabi, which represents the dynamic nature of the contemporary Arab world while celebrating the region’s vibrant multicultural heritage.
“A welcoming world serenely combining light and shadow, reflection and calm. It aims to belong to a country, to its history, to its geography – without being a simple interpretation. And emphasise a fascination with unusual discoveries.” - Louvre Abu Dhabi architect Jean Nouvel.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is considered as one of the modern urban wonders of the world and is not only the Arab world’s first universal museum but a powerful symbol of the United Arab Emirates’ ambition and achievement. A breathtaking building with symphony in concrete, water and the subtle play of reflected light, the design was inspired by the museum’s unique location at the point where the Arabian sky meets the sands of Saadiyat Island and the waters of the Arabian Gulf, and also the region’s rich architectural traditions.
The vision of architect Jean Nouvel came to light as is a huge silver dome which appears to float above the museum-city, surrounded by water, where visitors can arrive by land or sea, and although appearing to be floating and weightless, the dome actually weighs around 7,500 tonnes, which is a similar weight to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The dome is a complex, geometric structure of 7,850 stars and the stars are repeated at various sizes and angles in eight different layers and as a result, as the sun shines from above, the light filters through the perforations in the dome to create a breathtaking effect within the museum projecting a dappled pattern on the ground known as the ‘rain of light'.
A beacon of creativity, a union of cultures, a celebration of human stories, the Lovre Abu Dhabi’s growing collection spans thousands of years of human history, including prehistoric tools, artifacts, religious texts, iconic paintings and contemporary artworks. You are guaranteed that on a visit to Louvre Abu Dhabi to find something new each time and is supported by four special exhibitions which take place throughout the year.
The galleries are champion cultural achievements from prehistory to the present day and are not separated by geography but set in chronological order with the aim to encourage respect, curiosity, learning and self-reflection. As you walk along the exterior walkways, visitors are encouraged to take a break to think about and discuss the stunning artworks, as well as enjoying the ever-changing relationship between sun, sea, art and architecture which is highlighted throughout this breathtaking museum.