Louvre Abu Dhabi to celebrate its inauguration with diverse programmes

Louvre Abu Dhabi will welcome the world with four days of celebrations to mark the historic opening from November 11th to 14th, when the museum’s galleries will open to the public with a programme of multicultural music, arts and dance performances, and workshops.

Tickets are now available online for headline acts including French singer and rock guitarist Matthieu Chedid, known as –M–, Malian performer Fatoumata Diawara, Lebanese jazz and world musician Ibrahim Maalouf, and singer and dancer Toto La Momposina, whose performances are inspired by Colombian Caribbean traditions.

In addition to the permanent features of Louvre Abu Dhabi, such as the galleries and Children’s Museum, visitors will be treated to music, dance and multi-cultural performances. The events are suitable for all ages and feature a diverse line-up of artists from around the world.

Manuel Rabate, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said, "Creativity, cross-cultural understanding and humanity’s innate fascination with discovering new ideas and traditions from around the world are at the heart of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ethos and collections. The spectacular opening week programme really is a celebration of diversity, bringing together talented musicians, artists and performers from countries spanning the globe, and will offer a colourful and unforgettable experience to launch this project."

Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first museum of its kind in the Arab world: a universal museum that focuses on shared human stories across civilisations and cultures. Its important collection of artworks and artefacts spans the entirety of human existence, from the Palaeolithic era to the present day, highlighting universal themes and ideas, and will be supplemented by loans from leading French museums and regional cultural institutions. Architect Jean Nouvel designed Louvre Abu Dhabi as a museum city under a 180-metre dome, which filters sunlight and shade onto the buildings and waterfront promenades below in a cinematic ‘Rain of Light’ effect.

The opening week's programme has been curated by Louvre Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Agence France Museums and Arwad Esber, Artistic and Programming Advisor.