In my overview article about a trip to the United Arab Emirates, I already mentioned that I visited a unique place there — the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Today, I’d like to tell you about the very unusual building that houses this museum and the history of the exhibition as a whole.
Louvre Abu Dhabi: The History of an Unusual Space
The United Arab Emirates entered into a cultural partnership agreement with France in 2007, which is considered the starting point in the history of the museum's formation. According to the initial plans, the exhibition space was supposed to open in 2012, but for various reasons, the opening of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi only took place five years later.
The museum was granted the right to use the name "Louvre" for 30 years and six months. Media outlets report that the brand usage cost is 500 million dollars. I also came across information that the museum will pay France an even greater sum for consulting on exhibition management and providing artwork.
Visitors to the exhibition can immediately tell they’ve entered an unusual museum as soon as they enter the Louvre building. The structure is very interesting: the main space is covered by a huge patterned dome, and there are several photo zones with pools on the grounds. The architects were inspired by the low-rise houses of the region when creating the project. The Louvre building in Abu Dhabi is often referred to as a museum city in the sea.
Just the name of the museum suggests that it showcases works by the most famous masters of their genres. The Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection includes works by Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, Giovanni Bellini, Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and other renowned artists and sculptors. The collection also features historical exhibits, such as a 3,000-year-old Egyptian figurine and an Indian sculpture of the dancing Shiva, created more than a thousand years ago. On Wikipedia, I found information that the museum’s collection included the painting "Salvator Mundi" by Leonardo da Vinci, although in another article, it was contradicted, claiming that the authorship of the painting is unconfirmed. News portals also mentioned that the museum's plans to display the painting were canceled.
The Louvre also hosts temporary exhibitions. On the day of my visit in January 2025, post-impressionist works were exhibited in the museum's halls.
Visiting the Museum
The entrance ticket to the Louvre Abu Dhabi costs 65 dirhams, which I paid with a bank card at the ticket counter.
The museum is located on Saadiyat Island, and you can reach it by car, taxi, or buses from Abu Dhabi and Dubai. All the trip details are available on the official Louvre Abu Dhabi website in the "Plan your Visit" section.
I took a taxi here from the central bus station in Abu Dhabi.
Here I conclude my series of stories about my brief trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Detailed information about the attractions of these cities and travel tips can be found in a special selection.
Have a nice trip!
