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Region's first universal museum expected to significantly boost touristic footfall to UAE capital
As Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first ‘universal museum’ in the Middle East, officially opened to the public on the 11th November, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi made sure the biggest travel companies in the world were given a special preview at an exclusive opening event.
Offering unparalleled access to the museum, top management and owners from fourteen Destination Management Companies and travel agents - including Mercury Travel, Global Tour, Al Maharah Travel and CITS Shenzhen - were flown in from across the world to attend the special VIP event on Thursday, November 9th.
The multinational delegation was given the chance to explore the remarkable new addition to the cultural offerings of Abu Dhabi after the Department organised flights and accommodation for all invitees. In addition, the delegation were also given the time and the opportunity to explore beyond Saadiyat Island, home to Louvre Abu Dhabi, to further increase their knowledge of the emirate and its touristic and cultural offerings.
“As part of the Department’s mission to promote Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination of distinction, and especially to capitalise on the opening of the remarkable Louvre Abu Dhabi museum, we were delighted to host a large number of travel companies from across the world,” said Sultan Mutawa Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director, Tourism Sector, at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. “Showcasing exactly what makes Abu Dhabi a true destination of distinction, we developed an itinerary for all members of the delegation, with Louvre Abu Dhabi very much at the core of our tour.
“We hope that the invitees not only took away with them a sense of awe from the latest addition to our wonderful emirate, but also took away with them a greater understanding of the wider emirate and the diverse delights Abu Dhabi has to offer.”
Born out of an intergovernmental agreement between Abu Dhabi and France in 2007, Louvre Abu Dhabi, which was designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel displays works of historical, cultural and sociological significance from different times and civilisations. The museum’s permanent collection, as well as important loaned artworks from prestigious French institutions, forms an art historical narrative taking the visitor from ancient times to the contemporary through 23 permanent galleries in 12 sequences.
The facility was been designed as a ‘museum city’ in the sea, with its contrasting series of white buildings inspired by the medina and low-rise Arab settlements, the majority of which are covered by an 180 metre-wide dome. This eight-layered structure creates Louvre Abu Dhabi’s defining feature, the ‘rain of light’, as the sun’s rays must penetrate the layers before appearing then disappearing, creating a cinematic effect as the sun follows its path throughout the day.
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