The Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi: A Piece of the Beauty of France in the UAE

Updated On: November 08, 2023 by   Ahmed Samir

The Louvre Museum of the United Arab Emirates is on Saadiyat Island in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, at an altitude of 40 metres above sea level. It was designed by the famous architect Jean Nouvel, and different sizes and angles characterise the design within many layers, including internal and external, to give an artistic and creative shape to the dome.

The main objective target of the Louvre Museum is to allow visitors to discover for themselves the path of art development in different cultures and civilisations around the world. The work of museums is based on displaying artworks dating back to a specific artistic society, a historical period, or a detailed artistic movement in one hall.

The Museum offers an outstanding opportunity for visitors to explore many buildings, halls for various galleries, and external facades overlooking the sea to enrich the place with beautiful landscapes.

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s non-geographical approach, which presents artworks chronologically, allows one to explore the seemingly disconnected relationships between global civilisations and cultures at first glance. Inside the Louvre Museum, many halls have an axial role in telling human stories, contemporary artistic creations, and common themes of ideas that shed light on the links that unite human nations through time and antiquities from prehistoric times.

Museum Design and Construction

The construction work on the Louvre Abu Dhabi officially began on 26 May 2009. Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, inaugurated a Louvre Arts Dialogue exhibition at the Emirates Palace hotel. It includes 19 works of art purchased for the Louvre Abu Dhabi and loans from France’s National Museums to mark the start of construction.

The Louvre Museum is designed in the shape of a dome resembling a web pattern, allowing the sun to pass through, and the overall effect is to pass the sun’s rays through the palm fronds of the oasis. The total area of the museum is about 24,000 m², the permanent collection will occupy 6,000 m², and temporary exhibitions will be held on an area of 2,000 m².

Inside the Louvre Museum, there is a silver dome that includes a large number of hollow stars or holes, and they are about 7850 separate stars, and it allows the entry of sunlight as the sunlight spreads inside the museum. The weight of the silver dome is about 7500 tons, which is the same as the weight of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

For your information, the dome has eight layers to withstand various weather conditions. It is in the middle of the sea, where four outer layers are covered with stainless steel, and four inner layers are covered with aluminium.

The Cost of Establishing the Museum

The city of Abu Dhabi paid 525 million dollars to use the Louvre brand name; in addition, 247 million dollars will be paid for the loan of artworks to the Louvre over ten years. The Louvre Museum in Paris provides management advice to its counterpart in the Middle East for 214.5 million Dollars.

Also, 253.5 million dollars are paid to various private art galleries in the Louvre Museum, and four exhibitions will be hosted annually for fifteen years.

Exhibits Inside the Museum

The Abu Dhabi government purchased the first large-scale preview of the collection, which included 130 works in the permanent collection. It contains a unique piece of Picasso and a terracotta bronze statue from Cyprus. There are also artworks from Greece, Turkey, Japan, and Syria, and several new works were submitted, including Chirisei Kyubiki by Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga and painted in 1960.

Children Museum

The museum provides an enjoyable learning experience for children, especially those between six and twelve. The Children’s Museum was designed to receive exhibitions dedicated to families and children and to hold interactive workshops in Arabic and English to inspire the younger generation about essential techniques and artistic and cultural ideas.

The Children’s Museum also represents a bridge between all the branches of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum’s programs, as it contributes to providing its young audience with all its diverse concepts in the global history of humanity. 

Many people know that this global approach fits with Abu Dhabi’s trends and, at the same time, reflects the importance of its geographical location as a crossroads between East and West, North and South. It had a vital role on the Silk Road when the region was a link between Europe and the Indian Ocean. It opened broad horizons for exchange between Asia and Africa.

Activities you Can Do at the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi

When you enter the Museum, you can visit the “Manuscripts and Antique Historical Maps” section to see the rarest species with your friends and get to know them closely. You will be able to see the books and manuscripts that visitors prefer to see, and if you are a fan of history and ancient archaeological cultures, you will fall in love with this place.

Entry Ticket Prices

The prices of the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi entry tickets are different according to the type of tour. The tickets are available for a single entry for each visitor, and the tickets are divided into several categories, including:

• The regular entry ticket for a visitor over 18 years old is 63 AED.
• The tours with a guide for a group of 25 people maximum cost a total of 600 AED.
• A ticket for “Individual Express Tours” with a guide costs 40 AED after discount.
• Free entry for children under 18 years old, UAE residents over 60 years old, journalists, people with disabilities, and ICOM and related card holders.
• An entry ticket for teachers, faculty members, and UAE military costs 31.50 AED after discount.

Hotels Located Near the Louvre Museum to Stay in

Hotels in Abu Dhabi are as luxurious as its lifestyle. Sometimes, it is hard to choose where to stay; every hotel option is unique and offers a different package of perks and features. However, if your focus is to stay near to the Louvre Museum, check out the following list of the best hotels in the area.

Royal Rose Hotel Abu Dhabi

The Royal Rose Hotel Abu Dhabi is considered one of the best 5-star hotels in Abu Dhabi. It is in the middle of the city and is characterised by its magnificent design that takes the form of a luxurious French palace. It is 7 km from the Louver Museum Abu Dhabi site and 700 metres away from the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

The hotel includes a restaurant where you can enjoy having a wonderful meal with symbolic prices for lunch and dinner, and you can try delicious Arabic and Western fast food, tea, refreshing cocktails, and snacks.

There is also perfect room service, luxury car rental, grocery delivery, wake-up service, secure parking, and fast Wi-Fi in the rooms. Also, you will find large family suites containing a living area, a whole corner kitchen, a children’s play area, and upgraded VIP wards.

Al Raha Beach Hotel

Al Raha Beach Hotel is in Abu Dhabi; it is a five-star hotel and is one of the best hotels in Abu Dhabi. It is a 10-minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, the Yas Marina F1 Circuit, and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The hotel rooms and suites are air-conditioned, with antique wooden furnishings, which include a large living area and a marble bathroom with complete tools.

The hotel offers you many dining and entertainment options around the clock, directly on the sea. The outdoor garden has the finest comfortable furnishing, a swimming pool open all year round, hot Jacuzzi pools, and stone saunas.

When it comes to having an amazing time and a perfect trip, Abu Dhabi will never disappoint. The city has so much to offer, from culture and art to jaw-dropping shopping experiences and thrilling activities. If you are planning on visiting the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi, you can’t miss the renowned “Ferrari World“, as well.