Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 28/04/2026 18:07:00

Opened on 11 November 2017, this was the first museum to bear the Louvre name outside France — a landmark moment for the Arab world's cultural ambitions and for Abu Dhabi's long-term vision of Saadiyat Island as a global arts destination. The building alone justifies the visit. Jean Nouvel's design centres on a vast latticed dome — 180 metres across — made up of 7,850 unique metal stars. Sunlight filters through in constantly shifting patterns, casting what has become known as a 'rain of light' across the galleries and waterways below. It is one of the most photographed architectural interiors in the region. Inside, 6,400 square metres of gallery space traces a universal narrative through art and artefact, from ancient civilisations through to the contemporary, drawing on loans from 13 partner museums in France alongside the museum's own growing permanent collection. Galleries are open Tuesday to Sunday, closing at 6:30pm on weekdays and 8:30pm on Fridays and weekends. The dome, outdoor promenades, and restaurants — including Fouquet's, with a menu by Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire — stay open until midnight. Closed Mondays. Access via taxi or bus route 94 to Saadiyat Island.