Abu Dhabi: A series of talks on art to inform the public about Zayed National Museum prior to its opening were launched by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA-AD).
These events will take place between January and May across the capital, including Manarat Al Saadiyat, Qasr Al Hosn and the Qasr Al Ain Museum. Every session aims to introduce the different items and artefacts to be showcased at Zayed National Museum.
The first session, Multaqa Zayed National Museum, of the series began on Tuesday at Manarat Al Saadiyat with a talk titled “National Museum, National Identity”. Bringing the Zayed National Museum narrative to life, the panel discussion was led by Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, and moderated by Salama Al Shamsi, Project Manager of Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).
The museum will also tell the tale of the UAE’s development through the lifetime achievements of the country’s founder, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. During the first session, Nusseibeh said: “The journey of choosing the final design for the museum was a long one as 13 major companies from 11 countries pitched their ideas. Out of the participants, four designs from Norway, Britain, Japan and Canada were picked after which the final design by Foster and Partners was eventually chosen.”
Organised by TCA Abu Dhabi, the series will hold five panel discussions from January to May focusing on the museum’s narrative themes.
