The Louvre Abu Dhabi will open to the public on November 11
French head of state President Emmanuel Macron is set to grace the museum’s official opening ceremony, which is scheduled for November 8.
The beginning
Initial planning for the Louvre Abu Dhabi began 10 years ago in 2007 when France and the UAE came together to create a new cultural institution.
#LouvreAbuDhabi?
Its official Instagram account is @louvreabudhabi and has over 30K followers even before its launch.
Cost?
An entrance ticket costs Dh60. You can buy them online for quick admission and access the museum’s galleries, exhibitions, Children’s Museum and public spaces. Children under 13 years, ICOM/ICOMOS, journalists and disabled visitors with one companion can enter for free. You can buy tickets here.
The Design
Architect Jean Nouvel is the man behind the design. Some of his work include the Copenhagen Concert Hall, in Denmark, the Torre Agbar in Barcelona and the 100 Eleventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
The art
Louvre Abu will be loaning from leading French museums and regional cultural institutions to fill up the museum. The city of Abu Dhabi have a 30 year agreement with the French government.
That dome
The dome is 180 metres in diameter and filters sunlight and shade onto the buildings and waterfront promenades below. The Dome is also home to a complex, geometric constellation of 7,850 stars put together in eight layers.
Its location
It's on Saadiyat Island, which will be home to three other museums, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Zayed National Museum and the Maritime Museum.
Special pieces to look out for
Vincent Van Gogh's famous self portrait, as well as the Leonardo da Vinci, La Belle Ferronnière and Claude Monet's, La gare Saint-Lazare
