AusLeisure

Having been officially opened by French President Emmanuel Macron and Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, on Wednesday the Louvre Abu Dhabi has now been opened to the public.

Yesterday morning, Saturday 11th November, saw crowds descend on the Saadiyat Island attraction, described as the “first universal museum” in the Arab world.

The landmark building is the result of a 2007 inter-governmental agreement between the United Arab Emirates and France that will see the ‘Louvre’ brand loaned over a period of 30 years and six months.

The deal also loans artworks from 13 French institutions to the Louvre Abu Dhabi for a decade, and temporary exhibitions for 15 years.

The museum currently has more than 600 artworks and artefacts on display in its 23 galleries, and 12 ‘chapters’.

Its architecture by Jean Nouvel, an award-winning French architect, features a metallic domed roof creating mesmerising patterns of light within the facility.

The opening was marked with extensive audio-visual presentation revealing masterpieces from the museum projected across the building under a fireworks display.

Images:  Audio-visual, pyrotechnic and orchestral performances mark this week's opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Courtesy of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

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