Saturday November 11 saw the opening of the much-anticipated Louvre Abu Dhabi, a unique collaboration between Abu Dhabi and France, on the waterfront in Abu Dhabi’s cultural district on Saadiyat Island. Festivities included multicultural music, arts and dance performances, workshops and a spectacular light show and firework display.

Architect Jean Nouvel designed Louvre Abu Dhabi as a museum city (medina) which with a contemporary take on traditional Arabic inspiration with its most iconic feature being the dome, comprised of 7,850 unique metal stars set in a complex geometric pattern. Sunlight filters through, creating a moving ‘rain of light’.

Jean Nouvel, the architect of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Louvre Abu Dhabi embodies an exceptional programme in the literal sense of the word. Its vocation is now to express what is universal throughout the ages. Its architecture makes it a place of convergence and correlation between the immense sky, the sea-horizon and the territory of the desert. Its dome and cupola imprint the space with the consciousness of time and of the moment through an evocative light of a spirituality that is its own.” 

Click here to read more about the construction and design of Louvre Abu Dhabi

His Excellency Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture & Tourism and the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), said: “The UAE is proud of our rich heritage, while also embracing progress and change. We are a dynamic, vibrant and multicultural society, where people live in harmony and tolerance. This diversity is reflected in Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection, which celebrates the innate human fascination with discovery. Each visitor will encounter extraordinary artworks and artefacts from global cultures that are both familiar and surprising. Louvre Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s gift to the world, and we look forward to welcoming our first visitors.” 

Commenting on behalf of musée du Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez, President-Director of musée du Louvre and Chairman of the Scientific Board of Agence France-Muséums, said: “Today is the inauguration of Louvre Abu Dhabi; a museum like no other, which could be considered as the most ambitious cultural project of the early 21st century. It carries a message of openness, which is critical for our era. This incredible project was conceived in the Emirates and carried out as an inspiring partnership. Today, we are proud that expertise given by French museums, and the extraordinary artworks that have been gathered together, contribute to the achievement of this museum, which will amaze the world and make its mark in the history of museums.” 

Ancient masterpieces on display include a Bactrian Princess from the 3rd millennium BCE, a Grecian sphinx from the 6th century BCE and an Iranian gold bracelet in the shape of a lion, plus works from universal religions, including sacred texts such as a Leaf from the “Blue Quran” and a Gothic Bible, a Standing Bodhisattva from the 2nd or 3rd century and a white marble Head of Buddha from China. Additional pieces at the opening include works by da Vinci, van Gogh, Coronelli, Rodin and Giacometti.

The inaugural special exhibition, From One Louvre to Another: Opening a Museum for Everyone, which opens on 21 December 2017, will feature approximately 150 paintings, sculptures and decorative arts, mainly from the collections of musée du Louvre, and the Château de Versailles. The exhibit traces the history of musée du Louvre in Paris and looks at the royal collections at Versailles under King Louis XIV; the residency of the Academy and Salons in the Louvre, converted into a palace for artists; and the eventual creation of the musée du Louvre.

For more information including visiting information, visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi website.

See also:

Sculptural memorial in Abu Dhabi lands Australian firm on World Architecture Festival shortlist

Inside Louvre Abu Dhabi, a world-class museum supported by French expertise

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