E-mail Article
Printer Friendly
Share Article
Louvre Abu Dhabi museum set to open in 2012
The governments of Abu Dhabi and the Republic of France today signed an unprecedented 30-year cultural accord for the creation of a 24,000 sq m Louvre Abu Dhabi museum that is expected to open in 2012 within the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island - lying just 500 metres from Abu Dhabi city.
After months of speculation, the accord was signed in Abu Dhabi today by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Tourism Development and Investment Company, and the French Minister for Culture and Communications Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, who headed a delegation to the UAE capital.
"This is a major achievement in Abu Dhabi's vision to become a world-class destination bridging global cultures," said His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. "It also creates an enriching environment to be treasured by and to educate generations to come."
The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a universal museum with exhibits encompassing a diversity of cultures and which will include major artifacts and works in archaeology, the fine arts and decorative arts from all historic periods, but pre-dominantly classical.
The museum will have 6,000 sq m's of galleries devoted to permanent displays and 2,000 sq m's for temporary exhibitions which will be organised annually and will be included in the programme of international exhibitions exchanged between major museums worldwide.
The agreement ensures French museum expertise will assist with the acquisition over the next decade of an Abu Dhabi art collection. This support will also facilitate the development of educational programmes and specialised art conferences that will be held in Abu Dhabi aimed at inspiring and developing the next generation of cultural leaders.
"We have decided to create together a museum destined to foster cultural dialogue between East and West by exhibiting works of major importance from all the domains of the history of art, spanning all historic periods, including the contemporary, and all geographic regions," said Minister de Vabres. "France views this as a collective project which allows it to demonstrate to the world its unique expertise and know-how in the museum domain. To be co-ordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Communications, the French contribution will bring together the country's leading national museums."
The accord also provides for long-term loans from the Louvre and major French museums such as the Musee du Quai Branley, Centre Georges Pompidou, Musee d'Orsay, Versailles, Guimet, Rodin and the Reunion des Musees Nationaux (RMN).
To celebrate the new cultural collaboration, the Louvre will host a floor of commemorative galleries dedicated to the late UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which will open within the next three years and house permanent displays of international work.
In addition, a multi-purpose art research centre in France - which will be the largest of its kind in the world - will also carry the name of the emirate. Meanwhile, restoration of art works will be carried out at the Abu Dhabi centre, which will also be used to train restoration professionals. Abu Dhabi will also contribute to the restoration of the theatre in the Château de Fontainebleau - the largest royal palace in France. Designed by Hector Lefuel between 1853 and 1856, the theatre, in the west of the château's Louis XV wing, will be named after His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
It is hoped that the Louvre Abu Dhabi will empower a new era of international cultural co-operation. Designed by award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, the Abu Dhabi Louvre will resemble a seemingly floating dome structure. Nouvel's concept has been described as an engineering feat; its web-patterned dome allows the sun to filter through, reminiscent of rays passing through date palm fronds in an oasis.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi along with several other iconic museums in the Cultural District, most notably a Guggenheim Abu Dhabi modern and contemporary art museum, will together make up the world's largest cultural destination.
Quick Links(Residental)
Filter by address:
No Comments