The Art and Civilization Museum, known as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, is in Abu Dhabi, UAE. French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated this gallery on Nov. 8, 2017. Establishing this boot was part of a 30-year contract between the two cities of Abu Dhabi and Paris. This museum is situated in the cultural area of Saadiyat Island. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is not only the earliest global museum in the Arab world but also a potent symbol of the aspirations and successes of the United Arab Emirates.
Architecture of Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi
Jean Nouvel was, responsible for the architectural design of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a prominent French architect inspired by Arab architecture in 2008 in Arab-Futurist style. Jean Nouvel is a Pritzker Prize winner, a prize like the Nobel Prize for Architecture. The Tourism Development and Investment Company constructed the Louvre Abu Dhabi with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (TDIC). It has unique exhibition spaces, a museum for kids, a 270-seat theatre, food stalls, department shops, research centers, boutiques, and cafés. Additionally, it has 23 continuous galleries, of which none of its 55 halls are the same as one another. Under the museum’s awe-inspiring dome, the water joins the buildings along the coast.
Critics have described the building as a “mesmerizing” work, albeit a bit “flamboyant.” The museum’s roof is a mesh dome that, while dispelling the high heat of the desert environment, illuminates the galleries with natural light. Jean Nouvel described the Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum as one island within another. The geometric lattice dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is like the intertwined leaves of a palm tree. In the distant past, these leaves were used as materials for the roofs of buildings. Sunlight penetrates each of the eight layers of cladding.
o generate the appearance of falling rain. However, every potential light route was computed and diverted. The stars, made of aluminum and steel, are purposefully constructed with varying thicknesses of thin, medium, and wide to direct the light streams. The sun’s rays flow through the dome’s first two apertures before being stopped by a third layer. As the sun’s position shifts and the reflecting parts of the cladding finish redirect the light within the museum complex, the ray of light quickly moves on. Thus, the ‘taches de Lumiere or patches of sunshine, arise, vanish, increase in size, or decrease as they shimmer over the walls, floors, and pools. The Louvre Abu Dhabi’s slogan is “view mankind in a new light.”
The works of the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum will not be a copy of the Louvre in Paris. Still, it is a new museum, and despite the exquisite works by world artists, most of its attention will be on the history of the civilizations of the countries and religions of the world. This museum’s artworks include historical and religious pieces from across the globe that are shown to fill the void between Eastern and Western artwork. Prestigious French museums have pledged to lend their outstanding works of art to the Louvre Abu Dhabi for 10 to 15 years. 600 exquisite pieces are displayed in the Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum.
Louvre Abu Dhabi exhibits examples of pre-historic to contemporary art from around the world, including works by renowned artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Cy Twombly and the Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. This museum has many paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, archeological findings and decorative arts. Political irony abounds in this “Arab world” museum’s display of a hagiographic portrait of Napoleon, a colonialist conqueror of Islamic North Africa and thief of non-Western works of art. Despite this, nothing comes from it. The influence of colonialism on artistic production is not recognized until much later when the term “Modern Orientalism” is applied to a collection of works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And with that, a positive slant is applied to it. Works considered readily identifiable “classics” to a viewer from the West seem surrealistically alien in this multicultural setting.
French officials have announced that there are no restrictions on the display of works from the Louvre’s collection, which includes nude paintings, Islamic and Christian paintings and significant works of Asian religions.
The Louvre has a separate center where researchers can learn more about the museum’s collections. In the central part under the dome, a museum is intended for the education and entertainment of children between 6 and 12 years old, and temporary exhibitions are held there, which are only suitable for the age group of children. This museum seeks to turn the capital of the UAE into a cultural and global hub.
The Abu Dhabi Louvre Museum has eliminated the differences and created this opportunity for many to enjoy a world-class, high-quality museum. Indeed, for many who live in Asia and are looking to see world museums, travelling to Abu Dhabi will be easier than travelling to Europe. This museum is considered an excellent achievement for Abu Dhabi, and with its help, it can become a major global destination. It is not without reason that, according to the plans, this museum is supposed to attract millions of tourists to Abu Dhabi every year. Wheelchairs and strollers may be borrowed from the lending desk, and interpretation equipment can be strewn over the museum. There are also tactile stations specifically designed for visitors with vision impairments.
Every year, four different temporary exhibits are on display at the museum. The temporary displays were centred on a topic, such as ancient troves of Saudi Arabica, modern Japanese décor, and the Dutch Golden era. These exhibits were created in partnership with 13 French museum partners.
It is both a peaceful and complicated location—a comparison between a collection of museums that value their individuality and originality.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi transforms into the last destination of an urban promenade, a garden by the sea, an excellent refuge, and a shelter of light both during the day and at night, its aesthetic in keeping with its function as a sanctuary for the most priceless art pieces.
Kayaking in the Louvre Abu Dhabi
You may make your trip to the Louvre even more memorable by adding a kayaking excursion through the rivers beneath the museum’s dome to your itinerary. Gain a fresh understanding of this remarkable structure while expanding your knowledge of aquatic life and the building’s architecture.
Travel Advice for the Louvre Abu Dhabi
- Due to the required climate management within the museum, even during the height of summer, you will likely need a light jacket or scarf/wrap to be warm.
- If you go around the museum, you can see much of it in one hour. However, if you want to stop for lunch, take in the grounds, and peruse the gift shop, you should allow yourself at least two and a half to three hours to see everything.
- Remember that the museum is usually closed on Mondays, and plan accordingly!
- Seating is plentiful throughout the galleries should you take a break; however, restrooms are rarely nearby, so come prepared.
