The world- renowned Paris-based Art Museum has finally made its way to United Arab Emirates. The Louvre, Abu Dhabi is set to open its delightful doors on November the 11th, to the budding art world and enthusiasts. It’s been stated that the exhibits will include art from Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Leonardo da Vinci.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) has said “The Louvre, Abu Dhabi’s message to the world, is a message of unity, acceptance, connectivity and tolerance. These were messages that were important 1,000 years ago but are even more important today and Abu Dhabi is the beacon that will broadcast these messages to the Arab world and to the rest of the world.”

The 97,000-square-meter Louvre will include twenty-three permanent galleries within twelve sequences- the museum will have almost 700 impressive exhibits on display. Photography- Mohamed Somji

There are some interesting facts we do know about the Museum, ahead of its grand opening. Such as- the agreement between Abu Dhabi and France to build the museum was signed over 10 years ago, proving its lengthy process, yet it is the first universal museum in the Arab world.
The stunning, bold, avant-garde design was created by award-wining architect Jean Nouvel. He was inspired by low-lying Arab Settlements- taking a contextual approach to the site; he designed the museum as a museum city situated in the sea. The museum’s exterior is a complex geometric structure of 7,850 stars- the stars are repeated at various sizes and angles in eight different layers , meaning as the sun passes above, its light filters through the perforations in the dome to create an inspiring effect within the museum.

The stunning, bold, avant-garde design was created by award-wining architect Jean Nouvel. Photography- Mohamed Somji. 

Approximately half of the exhibits will belong to the museum’s permanent collection, while the other half will consist of loans from thirteen major French cultural institutions including the Louvre Museum, the Musée d’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The loans will include Monet’s La Gare Saint-Lazare, a self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh, and Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic La Belle Ferronniére, which will leave Europe for the first time to become the first painting by the Renaissance polymath to be exhibited in the Middle East.

Louvre Abu Dhabi loan selection. Self-portrait. Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). France, 1887. Oil on canvas. 44 x 35.5 cm. Musée d’Orsay

The 97,000-square-meter Louvre will include twenty-three permanent galleries within twelve sequences- the museum will have almost 700 impressive exhibits on display. There is also a specialised children’s museum, 200 seater auditorium, restaurants and cafes as well as retail spaces too.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is only the first of three museums planned to be built on Saadiyat Island, and will be followed by the openings of the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.