Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi: Our review in 2024

We know, we know, isn’t Louvre that famous museum in Paris, France? Any person not initiated into the world of art can get whiplash from reading the headline of our article. However, we believe that you have to truly be living under a rock (or simply ignore every news piece covering the UAE and its rapid development) to not know that the sister-museum of the O.G. French Louvre has been open to visitors in Abu Dhabi for the past six years.

Don’t worry though, we’re here to give you all the nitty-gritty details you need to know to appear like a seasoned art critic during your upcoming visit to Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Here we go!

Article contents

1. What is so special about Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi?
   ● Is it worth going there?
   ● How much is the entrance fee?
2. Louvre museum timings
3. What are the exhibitions inside?
   ● What not to miss?
4. Things to do nearby
5. Important information
   ● How to get to the museum?
   ● Which museums in Dubai and Abu Dhabi do we recommend?

What is so special about Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi?

Located in the up-and-coming cultural district of Saadiyat (that is soon to become home to another world-class gallery — Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, set to open in 2025!), Louvre Abu Dhabi is a work of art in and of itself. The now iconic building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel and opened its doors to the public in 2017.

• The overall look of this “museum city” is extremely interesting and modern: A huge metallic dome covers a bunch of differently shaped white buildings, creating an image of an alien ship hovering above a small town (our first impression).

The architect, however, drew inspiration from the innate workings of the Emirati life: He thought the structure should resemble a medina, with its narrow streets, white washed buildings, and textile sun covers swaying above the heads of its residents (just imagine any picture of a souq (a market) and you’ll get the idea). The dome itself and the “rain of light” it produces was greatly inspired by the shade that palm tree leaves create on a hot summer day.

Speaking of the dome, if you google Louvre Abu Dhabi photos, it’s the first thing that will catch your attention. This geometric wonder is comprised of 7850 (!) metal stars (that some also say resemble desert roses in shape) that are layered one on top of another, creating a super unique steel canopy. At any given moment, the light here is different, which is why just simply being inside of the museum is an unforgettable experience.

The use of water in the museum adds to the allure, as the reflections double the light. Plus, the combination of the dome, water, and airy, spacious construction creates its own microclimate, which manages to cool off the harsh Emirates sun rays before they reach the ground. Just looking at the construction from inside and outside is a feat worthy of a detour from your usual Abu Dhabi adventures. It’s not the only activity that brings visitors to the museum though: The plentiful artworks, both owned by the Louvre Abu Dhabi and on loan from the French museums, will make you forget about time, luring you into the world of history, genius, and craftsmanship of mankind throughout the decades.

Is it worth going to Louvre museum?

In our humble opinion, going to Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi is a nice change of pace after taking part in other activities (mainly the ones that are designed for adrenaline junkies) that the Emirate is world famous for: Desert Safari and Sandboarding, or hours spent on the crazy rides in Ferrari World.

Still on the fence about going to the museum because you’re worried its dusty, dull, and cramped? Wait till you learn what is shown in Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi* and how many galleries are in the Louvre**!

* More than 600 works of art from all over the world;

**22 galleries each filled to the brim with artsy goodness!

Trust us, after reading our review, you will be hard pressed to get to Louvre Abu Dhabi asap, in order to witness the grandeur and architectural marvels in person.

How much is the entrance fee for Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi?

How much is the entrance fee for Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi? Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi tickets price varies in relation to your status: You can either pay full fee for a general admission, a discounted fee, or be one of the few lucky dogs that gets to explore the museum for free.

General Admission (Adults 18+)	63 AED ($17,2)
Discount Admission (Teachers, faculty members, UAE military)	31,50 AED ($8,6)

Tickets price is nullified for the following categories of museum visitors: All people under 18 (with one note that all children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times), UAE residents in their 60s and older, Louvre Abu Dhabi members (we will elaborate on the membership part shortly), journalists, People of Determination and some other groups of visitors can explore the museum for free.

Tickets to the Louvre Abu Dhabi >>

Of course, if you plan on indulging in a luxury of having a knowledgeable person show you around the interior of this prized institution, get ready to spend extra for the opportunity. There are group (full price for 25 people is 600 AED/$163,4) and solo (50 AED/$13,6) guided tours, as well as interactive tours specifically designed for students (can also be self-led, and even be experienced through an online interactive alternative). The latter ones are way more affordable, which is pretty admirable: Making art more accessible to the young generation is what will be the deciding factor of the state of the whole institution in years to come.

• All the prices, types of tours, as well as the general booking policy can be found on the museum’s official website. GetYourGuide also lets you buy museum’s entry ticket through their website, if that’s what you’re more used to.

Want to have a more hands-on approach to supporting Louvre Abu Dhabi and get freebies, discounts, and uniquely tailored experiences in return? Become a member! The museum presents you with three possible choices of memberships:

• Membership for Everyone — Gets you (and your guest) unlimited access to all the happenings of Louvre Abu Dhabi, with an exciting twist: You also get free access to the France-based partner museums, like Musée du Louvre, Centre Pompidou, Musée d’Orsay, and others. Private exhibition previews, discounts on tours, and members-only events, — All of this could be yours for a humble price of 472,50 AED ($128,7) per year.
• Membership for Teachers — An honorable effort from Louvre Abu Dhabi to support educators from all walks of life. This membership grants you (one person only, unlike the other two) free access to all exhibitions and galleries of the museum, as well as an opportunity to take part in workshops, lectures, and other thematic activities throughout the year. For just 120 AED ($32,7), it is a great bargain for every accredited academic who wants to expand their cultural knowledge base.
• Membership for Young Adults — If you’re young (and beautiful*, by Lana del Rey’s standards) and have a strong inclination and desire to learn all things art, then try to find 120 AED ($32,7) and get yourself a Young Adult Membership to Louvre Abu Dhabi. Not only will you receive an unlimited free access to museum’s exhibitions, but also 12 free guest passes for your friends and family. So, if you’re between ages of 18 and 25, or have a student card (no matter the age), you’re in luck!

*Being physically attractive is not a requirement put in place by Louvre Abu Dhabi staff

If you’re staying in Dubai and want to turn visiting Louvre Abu Dhabi into a fun day trip, there are tours that got you covered! Sit back, relax, and let the professionals take care of all the planning and schedule.

Louvre museum timings

You simply cannot begin to plan your visit to the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi if you don’t have a clue about the museum’s working hours. Thankfully, you don’t need to even open a browser to learn the Louvre’s timings, as their Instagram page has all the deets on every practical piece of information you need to know to make your visit a good one!

• Side note: Explore the latest exhibitions, the upcoming masterclasses, and other exciting activities while you’re on the Louvre Museum’s Instagram page. It is regularly updated and fascinatingly informational — Kudos to their social media manager! Also, tag the museum’s location if you plan on posting pics of the Louvre on your page — There’s a “Pic of the Week” winner that is chosen (you guessed it) weekly, and you can be one of the lucky people that earn the title (we believe that the winner gets some sort of reward, but you better check before entering if you’re in it for the money and not just for fun).

As for the numbers, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to midnight; galleries and exhibitions close at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 p.m. on weekends. Louvre Abu Dhabi is closed on Mondays.

Note that the opening hours can change due to day-to-day circumstances, be it a religious holiday (like Ramadan) or other, certainly not divine and holy reasons, like the pandemic. Given the fleeting nature of our lives, it’s best to double check the timings of the museum on its official website or Instagram page.

	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat
Museum	10 a.m. – 12 a.m.		10 a.m. – 12 a.m.	10 a.m. – 12 a.m.	10 a.m. – 12 a.m.	10 a.m. – 12 a.m.	10 a.m. – 12 a.m.
Galleries/exhibitions	10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.		10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.	10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.	10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.	10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.	10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

What are the exhibitions in Louvre Abu Dhabi?

It’s hard to imagine that the “museum city” that is comprised of 55 differently shaped white buildings (of which 23 are galleries) that house more than 600 artworks can have one particular theme bonding them all together. After the decision was made to build another Louvre off Abu Dhabi shores, the high-end art buyers employed by the Museum set out on a one-of-a-kind million-dollar shopping spree: You wouldn’t believe the number of rare pieces that they managed to snag to be a part of Louvre’s permanent exhibition!

The question of the collection’s cohesion has been brought up from the very beginning, and the way it has been answered is simply genius: Louvre Abu Dhabi claims to be a universal museum, and the galleries are not divided geographically, like we’re used to seeing. Instead, the works of art are displayed in chronological order, and that’s how you can witness humanity’s entire existence evolve over time.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the galleries that host parts of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent exhibition, each of them covering one particular period in time: From prehistoric to contemporary works, art is what best mirrors the state of society of any given chapter of human history (Louvre Abu Dhabi has decided to group these into twelve chapters). So, shall we do a short walk-through through the exhibition’s highlights?

• The Grand Vestibule is what you see first upon walking through security (expensive art pieces to robbers are what catnip is to cats, so safety protocols are super strict here; leave your balaclava at home). Well, not the very first thing per se, as you’re met with a gift shop and then bright blue artworks of Cy Twombly (we’ll get back to them later). As you walk further though, you finally reach the Grand Hall. Our advice: Turn your gaze to the floor, where you will witness a map of the UAE’s coastline embellished with the names of cities (both local and faraway) the displayed works originally come from.

The highlights: Wide array of artifacts not exactly connected geographically or chronologically, but united with a single purpose of proving the innate universal nature of Louvre Abu Dhabi — a place where Virgin and Child (France, 1320-1330) and Iris nursing her son Horus (Egypt, 800-400 BCE) statuettes come to mean exactly the same thing, which is a sacred connection between mother and child.

• The First Villages — as the name suggests, your actual tour of the many Louvre Abu Dhabi galleries will start off with the descriptions of similarities found in the early human settlements. What were they all occupied with? How did the rituals play part in the construction of communities? Was fertility the most predominant topic of interest? What were the first signs of power? These and many other questions can be answered by a short walk along the brightly lit displays of this first gallery.

The highlights: Female figurines from the first villages of Cyprus, Egypt, Pakistan, Syria, etc. These early depictions of historical women were definitely made by people with their own “vision”: That is, each and every one of them are pretty unique and odd-looking. But hey, we are no Alexandros of Antioch ourselves (creator of the iconic armless (literally) Venus de Milo); so, when met with a task of sculpting a woman’s body (even with the help of a live model), we’re sure we wouldn’t get anywhere close to the displayed figurines.

• The First Great Powers — This gallery is mainly focused on showcasing the reasons and ways the first cities came about: Starting with strong societal hierarchies, horse riding, writing and other cool things we have no idea how humans came to invent. With the current craze about AI writing, can you imagine early humans having the same reactions back then to normal writing? — “Dude, we have been speaking for ages, what’s this new thing with putting symbols onto paper? People are going to lose their jobs of telling stories if they’re written down!”; — “Don’t worry, this writing gizmo isn’t going to stick, I bet you two bronze coins and my horse!”; — “You’re on!”. Wow, we’re getting sidetracked here… But it definitely makes you think about it, doesn’t it?

The highlights: Statues of early humans in power positions, the more exciting ones are Gudea, Prince of Lagash (Iraq, about 2120 BCE) and the iconic (and almost noseless) Ramesses II, Pharaoh of Egypt (Egypt, 1279 – 1213 BCE).

• Civilizations and Empires — Rome, the Han Empire and all things mob-related, the super early (and more large-scale) predecessors of gangs of New York and Italian mafia. Just kidding! Our latest rewatch of Sopranos is coming out in all the wrong ways. Basically, this gallery is an ode to empires growing, clashing, dying, and ways all these happenings influenced artistic expression.

The highlights: Amphora decorated with warriors (if Hercules’ cartoon singing ladies were buff and carried weapons) and Roman statue of a chiseled male torso (six pack envy guaranteed). Also, the impressive statue of Athena (Italy, about 100 BCE), but her pose says “I’m bored, let’s get out of here!”, and a bust of the queen Cleopatra VII (Egypt, 305-30 BCE) with the angriest facial expression the world ever did see.

• Universal Religions — This part makes it a point to show both differences and similarities of major ancient monotheistic religions that began their expansive spread all over the world at the time: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and others. Religion is what brought the early communities together and also what propelled the modes of artistic expression into new realms. The Universal Religions is one of the most sought-after galleries inside Louvre Abu Dhabi, and we can clearly see why: The artifacts displayed definitely possess some awe-striking qualities!

The highlights: Not each given item per se, but the way they are displayed, as all religions here inhabit spaces in close proximity to others, and this adjacent position is beautiful in and of itself (the image of a Buddha statue, a cross, and an Islamic scripture all sitting close to one another is a sight to behold!). The realization that humans then and now are not that different among each other (ultimately, all we need is something to believe in) is strong and powerful, bound to leave an everlasting impression on your mind and soul.

• Asian Trade Routes — The topic of universality is brought up once again in the innerworkings of ancient trade systems. All the new trading paths led not only to greater rates of exchanging of goods and services, but also to stronger connections between different communities. The artifacts and materials brought miles away from their original territories open up the curtain on the state of societies of that day, their habits, rituals, and day-to-day happenings.

The highlights: A statue of a Buddha guarded by a seven-headed snake (very impressive, especially when you learn the lore behind it: They say that the king (!) of snakes saved Buddha from drowning in the lake, as the deep state of meditation deterred him from noticing the water slowly rising all around him), a plethora of coin varieties, and ceramics galore (great inspo for your future kitchen homeware if you’re into that sort of thing).

• From the Mediterranean to the Atlantic — All things that happened in the Mediterranean basin in the Middle Ages, plus struggles of Christian kingdoms with new trade routes and continuous development of societies due to increasing commercial power, bringing them closer together and at the same time highlighting their differences.

The highlights: Ginormous marble basin inscribed with the name of Bonifilius (Northern Italy, about 1300) — just imagine your run-of-the-mill garden bird bath, but sized up so that a couple of ostriches can comfortably cool off in it on an especially hot day; a bronze statue of a “lion”, which, again, looks like a free artistic interpretation of what a lion can look like (which, amazingly, is thought to be an acoustic automation that could produce a roaring sound — absolutely bonkers if you remember the time it was created (1000-1200)!); all things incense (which was more expensive than gold) — great step up for all the Yankee candle girlies who strive for learning more about the subject.

• Cosmography — This section is filled with rare curiosities that served as tokens of rapidly discovered new territories. The gallery shows how the first “travel influencers” got their start with their travelogues being published, and how these stories of distant lands led to the opening of the conversation of humanity’s place on the planet and in the universe.

The highlights: Maps and instruments for navigation (it’s interesting to compare old-timey compasses with our modern systems like GPS and the like), the world-renowned painting Tower of Babel (Belgium, 1595) that plays more into the differences discovered when met with new people from distant territories (language being the most prevalent gap between the groups), and the illustrated terrestrial globe (Italy, 1697) that now is a cool thing rich people have by their bar in their traditional-looking (and particularly dimly lit) home libraries.

• Thinking the State — The discoveries of new lands eventually led to the nasty job of dividing of these territories; which, in turn, led to the greater focus on the question of power. People at the top became preoccupied with symbols and rituals that could keep them in this favorable position for as long as possible, and these tokens of power are what this part of the gallery is centered around.

The highlights: The Medici family’s obsession with precious stones led to the creation of wonderful artworks, and the table top known as Tavolino di Gioie (Italy, 1568) that you can see in the gallery is no exception — if we were furnishing a splendid restored Italian villa, we would definitely consider stealing this enchantingly colorful work of art (jk, unless..?)! Among other things you can witness in this part of the exhibition are the plentiful portraits of the ruling class, in which, we’re 100% sure they used a fair bit of Renaissance FaceTune, but who are we to judge?

• First Globalisation — The increased tempo with which the global export of goods created the largescale waves of movement among the members of different societies can clearly be seen in mementos of the era. Wars, emigration, slavery, — all of these historical events, no matter how dark, left a huge mark on the overall process of globalization. Displacements of people meant that artists sometimes worked in environments foreign to them, creating works of art never before imagined, with new materials, tools, and subject matters.

The highlights: Aspiring warheads will be delighted to indulge into learning about weapons of the time (daggers and the like, we’re not huge fans of the topic); while art nerds (in a good way) will cherish the moments spent looking at the paintings: Portrait of an African woman (Italy, about 1560), which bears historical importance by indicating the presence of black people in Renaissance Europe, and Rembrandt’s iconic Study of the head and clasped hands of a young man as Christ in prayer (Holland, 1648-1656), which is one of the sketches under the umbrella The Figure of Christ (if only our “sketches” looked like this!).

• A New Art of Living — Lavish, adorned, graceful, — these words immediately come to mind upon entering this section of the museum. The new era of societal changes fell upon the humans of that time, and manners, the way the table is set and how your door is decorated were the most pressing questions of the period. Art started to lean primarily into classical realm, and the people in the paintings looked plump, healthy, and rosy-cheeked (the statues, especially male ones, however, were more focused on showcasing the best physique possible — the pronounced muscles were all the rage amongst sculptors of the era).

The highlights: All of the paintings of women, period. They’re beautiful, curly-haired, and just exude health and wealth. As for the guys, they are more preoccupied with looking fierce and powerful; you can see what we’re talking about in the portrait of George Washington, first President of the United States; and the portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1st Consul, Crossing the Alps on 20 May 1800 (we’re sure they did not look like that in real life, meaning they participated in the earliest acts of catfishing known to man!).

• A Modern World — Depicts the way Industrial Revolution impacted all areas of life, including art. Plus: Orientalism, Japonism, infatuation with other cultures, and mix of styles and materials. Photography was invented around this time, so painters all over the world had to scramble in searches of new modes of expression that would save their craft from oblivion.

The highlights: One of our personal favorite galleries of Louvre Abu Dhabi, this is where we started to notice all the familiar names and recognized the styles of such artistic monoliths as Renoir, Sisley, Vincent van Gogh, Degas and others. Our favorite pieces from this section are Gauguin’s Children Wrestling and Monet’s In the Norwegian. We also cannot fail to mention the funniest bombastic side-eye of the Abyssinian Chieftain’s bust (what are you looking at??).

• Challenging Modernity — The last but definitely not the least gallery of the museum. The art works displayed here are more “our scene”, as they feel freer and odder, making the viewer feel closer to the piece because of the lack of poshness and class. Paintings and sculptures of this section evoke a certain je ne sais quoi, where you keep asking yourself, “What the hell were the artists smoking?”.

The highlights: Anything and everything, from Kaleidoscope video installation, to Yves Klein’s sensual Anthropometry (ANT 110), and Henri Matisse’s unforgettable Algerian Woman.

As you leave the permanent collection and make your way into the inner courtyard, the artworks don’t stop: Look around to find Jenny Holzer’s word-centric wall installations (you might know her from the powerful truisms she came up with, like “Abuse of power comes as no surprise” and “Mostly you should mind your own business”), and Giuseppe Penone’s Bronze Tree that’s become one of the most famous photo-ops of the Louvre’s interior spaces.

• Louvre Abu Dhabi is an iconic undertaking, that’s for sure. You may wonder “How is the permanent collection different from that of Louvre in Paris?”. Well, like we’ve mentioned before, Louvre Abu Dhabi collection is divided into galleries that are lined up in the chronological order: From the prehistoric artifacts to the art works of our contemporaries. The “O.G.” Louvre in France has departments that are based on universal geographical connections, like Egyptian Antiquities, or Islamic Art. They also have entire halls dedicated to a single type of art work: Be it paintings or sculptures.
• Another question that might find its way into your head as you’re reading this text is “What are the Big 3 at the Louvre Abu Dhabi?”. You see, everybody knows Musée du Louvre’s three major works depicting most famous female figures: Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci), Venus de Milo (Alexandros of Antioch, and Winged Victory of Samothrace (Unknown). Personally, we haven’t found any indication by the art critics concerned with the female Big Three of this “universal museum”, so we just went ahead and compiled our own. As for monumental portrayals of women, these three works come to mind upon finishing the tour of the Louvre’s permanent exhibition: Virgin and Child (Giovanni Bellini), Portrait of an African Woman (Unknown), and Funeral set of princess Henuttawy. Keep in mind, we’re no art nerds, so if you don’t agree with our picks, please, leave your suggestions for the Big Three in the comments down below!

The crème de la crème of the exhibitions in Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, and the thing that brings a slew of new visitors every day, without fail, is the museum’s temporary exhibitions. We know that when we were doing research on what to see in Louvre Abu Dhabi, we got instantly hooked on the spectacular variety of themed collections that ran for a limited amount of time, creating a sense of need and urgency to have the experience before its gone.

Each year, there are only a few themed collections that run in the museum, also known as the Current Exhibitions in Louvre Abu Dhabi. We first wrote this text in May of 2023, and the exhibition at that time was Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema (it closed on June 4, 2023). The exhibition included plenty of movie screenings and family weekends with fun activities for both children and adults.

As for the fun that are both the Current and the Upcoming Exhibitions in Louvre Abu Dhabi, you can explore the following exciting collections:

• Picturing the Cosmos (07.23 – 06.25)
• Letters of Light (13.09.23 – 14.01.24)
• Cartier, Islamic Inspiration and Modern design (15.11.23 – 24.03.24)
• Art Here 2023 (11.23 – 02.24)

To be up-to-date with the calendar of the upcoming exhibitions, we recommend you make yourself familiar with Louvre’s official website.

Some of the Past Exhibitions that we were sad to miss include Impressionism: Pathways to Modernity (closed in February 2023) and 10,000 Years of Luxury (ran from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020). We’re hoping they will have something similar in time for our next visit!

What not to miss in Louvre Abu Dhabi?

It’s a no brainer that the top of the list of things to do in Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi is comprised of visiting the galleries and temporary exhibition spaces (as well as taking hundreds of pictures in front and inside of the structure). But keep in mind that the fun doesn’t stop there! The museum is home to other spaces that you absolutely cannot miss once inside the institution:

• Children’s museum in Louvre Abu Dhabi looks like it’s not a part of the main museum complex, while still preserving the same level of thought put into creating the collections. The displays here are conveniently located at a child’s eye level; plus, a huge variety of immersive and interactive zones make time spent here go super fast, especially for little ones. If you come to Louvre Abu Dhabi with a child, this is the place to be!
• Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi Restaurant — located in the heart of the museum, the restaurant managed to sneak in unmistakable Paris flair into the mainly Arabic surroundings. It feels like you’ve returned from a walk at Champs-Élysées or arrived at the red carpet all at the same time. The chic Parisian interiors go extremely well with the menu created in collaboration with a French Michelin star chef. After finishing your undoubtedly delectable meal, follow the quiet sounds of jazz: There’s a secret door leading into a speakeasy style bar, where you can continue your night in style!
• Museum Café — Louvre Abu Dhabi museum’s very own café menu is a mix of local Emirati and traditional European flavors. Designed by the architect of the museum itself, the décor and ambiance of the space adds a thing or two to the overall experience. Have a few drinks here before ending your visit, giving yourself more time to take it all in.
• Gift shop (or museum boutique as it is referred to as here) — head here for unique pieces to remember your visit by: From the usual totes, stationary, books and little trinkets, to more culturally weighty pieces like sets of skateboards with Basquiat or Keith Haring artworks on them (for those interested, these objects d’art go for 2 500 – 4 000 AED ($680-1090) a pop, depending on the number of skateboards (3 or 6) used in the making of them). If you felt particularly inspired by the entryway display of Untitled I

Things to do near Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, being the capital of the UAE, has an endless supply of cool activities to fill your itinerary with. Visiting Louvre Abu Dhabi is, of course, right there at the head of the list; but what are other top things you can see while visiting the Emirate?

• The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — the ultimate tourist destination of the UAE guests, this marvel of Islamic architecture is a sight you should witness at least once in your lifetime. White and gold façade and intricate details of both exterior and interior of the mosque is what draws you in and makes you enamored with its beauty. It’s also one of the biggest mosques in the world, so allot an hour at the very least to explore the structure in its entirety.
• Ferrari World — massive amusement park for both families and solo adrenaline seekers. If you’re not sure you can handle the crazier rides that the park has to offer, watch this video of Jason Momoa facing his fears inside Ferrari World. How bad can it be? Right? Unless…
• The Corniche — a long waterfront promenade, perfect for a walk, a bike ride, or watching the sunset from one of the many parks lining the path. When the weather calls for a day at the beach, walk towards the Corniche Beach and get your Vitamin D on! Just don’t forget to put on sunscreen, as sun in the Emirates is super harsh, giving you a nasty sunburn in a matter of minutes.

Important information

Now that you know what to look for once you enter Louvre Abu Dhabi (as well as some things to do once you leave the museum’s premises), the only piece of important information still missing from your knowledge base is how to actually get to Louvre.

How to get to Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi?

If you take a car, use your GPS and type the address of the museum — Saadiyat – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates — as your destination. It’s that simple, we aren’t reinventing the wheel over here. Same with taking a taxi — the driver will know where to take you. The drop-off point is right by the entrance to the building, so there’s no chance of you getting lost on your way from the car.

Alternatively, if you’re a fan of public transport, you can take bus 94 and get off at the stop conveniently named Louvre Abu Dhabi (Saadiyat Island).

For maximum sense of adventure, you can use water transportation to arrive to your culturally significant destination. Take a water taxi from Marsa Mina (Abu Dhabi Port’s Cruise Terminal) to Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Be sure to consult the map to get the overall idea of Louvre’s location.

Which museums in Dubai and Abu Dhabi do we recommend?

Since the two Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are located pretty close to each other, and plenty of tourists take day trips to the neighboring cities all the time, we have decided to list a few of our museum top picks that can be found in the general area of both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi will make you change the way you feel about museums, trust us. Not being huge art and history heads ourselves, we were a little apprehensive about spending hours inside one building looking at sculptures, paintings, and other artifacts. To our surprise, we enjoyed ourselves quite a bit and had the most wonderful time at Louvre Abu Dhabi! If you, like us, have come to the dark side of more culturally enhanced ways to fill your itinerary, you might be wondering what other museums should you visit on your next trip to the UAE. Let’s see:

• Al Shindagha Museum (Dubai) — in the ultra modern city like Dubai, it’s pretty difficult to find places that managed to preserve their original state from the times long before the towering skyscrapers filled the surrounding panoramas. Al Shindagha Museum, which we visited during our last trip to the Emirates (you can find our detailed review here), surprised us with the seemingly endless supply of historical facts about the area and the people who called it their home.
• Museum of the Future (Dubai) — like Louvre Abu Dhabi, this museum looks quite impressive from the outside (don’t mind the understatement, they’re both pretty darn awesome-looking) due to the exotic shape and design choices. Museum of the Future’s whole shtick, in our minds, is deeply evocative of the modern vibes of the city itself. Robots, space exploration technologies, high-tech spaces, and cool views — all of these things can be found both inside the museum, but also in Dubai streets as well. Pretty groovy, huh?

• Art Gallery at New York University (Abu Dhabi) — compared to previously mentioned spaces, this gallery, located inside Abu Dhabi’s NYU building, is super tiny and not at all important-looking. However, you shouldn’t discount the place by its size, as the exhibitions here are one of the most creative and though-provoking ones we have ever seen. With a focus on Arabic artists, the gallery provides a great variety for activities, from movie screenings to poetry reading nights, — what more could you possibly want?
• Warehouse 421 (Abu Dhabi) — if you’re getting low on cash, head down to the Zayed Port, where a trendy art space made its home inside a once abandoned warehouse. All the exhibitions inside Warehouse 421 are free to visit, making your acquittance with modern art of the UAE both an exciting and easy-on-the-wallet experience. Beware of the hipster crowd, but you probably saw that coming, given it’s an art space and all.

We hope that our detailed guide and review of the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi helped you create your own plan of action when the time for your visit rolls around. If you have any questions about Louvre or any other place mentioned in the article, feel free to leave them in the comments below. Stay smart and learn stuff!