The art and civilisation museum known as the Louvre Abu Dhabi may be situated in the city of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. This gallery was inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Nov. 8, 2017. The establishment of this boot was as parts of a 30 year contract among 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, 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 that is like the Nobel for architecture. The construction of the Louvre Abu Dhabi was carried out by the Tourism Development and Investment Company in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (TDIC). It has unique exhibition spaces, museum for kids, a 270 seats theater, food stalls, department shops, research centers, boutiques, and cafés. Additionally, it has 23 continuous gallery, of which none of its 55 halls are the same as one another. Under the museum’s awe-inspiring dome, the buildings are joined along the coast by the water.
Critics have described the building as a “mesmerizing” work, albeit a bit “flamboyant”. The roof of the museum 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 an island within another island. 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 roof 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, which are 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 finishes 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, but a new museum, and despite the existence of very 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 throughout the world that are shown with the goal of filling 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 include Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Cy Twombly and the Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei. There are many paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, archeological findings and decorative arts in this museum. 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 that colonialism had on artistic production is not recognised 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 that would be 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 just for researchers to 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 people to enjoy a world-class and high-quality museum. Certainly, for many who live in Asia and are looking to see world museums, traveling to Abu Dhabi will be easier than traveling to Europe. This museum is considered a great 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 found strewn over the museum. There are also tactile stations specifically designed for visitors with vision impairments.
Every year, there are four different temporary exhibits that are on display at the museum. The temporary displays were centered 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, a cool 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 pieces of art.
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 quickly around the museum, you may 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.
- Take notice that the museum is usually closed on Mondays, and plan accordingly!
- Seating is plentiful throughout the galleries, should you feel the need to take a break, however restrooms are rarely in close proximity, so come prepared.