An Exploration of Abu Dhabi's Premier Museums and Galleries

Along the sunlit shores of the Arabian Gulf, a perfect spot to enjoy the breeze is beneath the expansive 600-foot-wide metal dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, crafted by French architect Jean Nouvel. This colossal, parasol-like roof features an intricate jigsaw of 7,850 perforated aluminum and stainless-steel panels. Sunbeams filter through the openings, cascading like golden rain onto the museum’s walls. Inside, the 23 galleries are interconnected by narrow alleys and plazas, creating the ambiance of a tranquil medina.

During my recent visit, peering out from under this structure, I caught sight of the concrete columns of the impressive Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry. Set to open in two years, this museum is located less than a mile away on Saadiyat Island, a sandy outcrop just offshore. It will showcase over 600 pieces of modern and contemporary art from renowned artists like Louise Bourgeois, alongside emerging Emirati talents and creatives from Asia and Africa. Additionally, rising from Saadiyat’s arid landscape are the Abrahamic Family House, a multi-faith cultural center designed by David Adjaye, the architect behind the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture; the Zayed National Museum by London’s Foster & Partners; and two more cultural venues set to debut next year.

These ambitious projects are central to a $12 billion initiative aimed at transforming the United Arab Emirates into a global arts hub, as envisioned by its rulers. The plans intend to diversify the economy away from oil and attract more tourists. With the U.A.E.’s prominent airlines, Emirates in Dubai and Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi, the Gulf has emerged as a major transportation hub, yet its tourism has largely been centered around malls, theme parks, and iconic structures like the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

The upcoming museums will challenge conventional tastes in a society that remains largely conservative — as Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, shared with me during my visit to his all-white office overlooking the expansive corniche that stretches from Saadiyat Island to the Emirates Palace Hotel.

“These artistic offerings will open hearts and minds,” he remarked as we began our discussion, his traditional white dishdasha riding up to reveal a pair of limited-edition Nike sneakers. “Culture is the foundation of any forward-thinking society.”

On paper, the notion of investing $12 billion to elevate Abu Dhabi to the cultural significance of New York, London, and Paris may seem unrealistic, but a glimpse of the Louvre is enough to make even the staunchest skeptic reconsider. The building's design rivals that of the Sydney Opera House in its striking originality. Often, art institutions come off as intimidating and exclusive, practically bearing a sign that reads “Only the affluent and learned may enter.” However, the Louvre at first glance resembles a flying saucer that has landed on the beach — who wouldn’t be curious to explore inside?

To engage a wide audience, from progressive Americans and Europeans to more traditional Saudis, the exhibits at the Louvre are organized thematically rather than by region, civilization, or historical period. Each of the 12 “chapters” showcases a universal theme, including the dawn of civilization, motherhood, the depiction of power, and representations of the divine. Notably, this includes Jewish icons, such as a 13th-century funerary stele and a 15th-century Yemenite Torah, which is unusual for a cultural institution in an Arab nation. “We’re juxtaposing civilizations and cultures to foster dialogue,” curator Mariam Al-Dhaheri noted as we walked across floors made from a unique blend of dark Omani stone and camel leather. “Our aim is to highlight the commonalities among the world's peoples rather than their differences.”

The concept that various cultures share strikingly similar approaches to humanity's fundamental questions is refreshingly open-minded and egalitarian — aligning with contemporary thought. This perspective was immediately apparent upon my arrival. In the lobby, 16th-century portraits of scholars by Belgian artist Jacob de Backer were placed alongside a modern sculpture composed of Arabic words in bronze by Egyptian artist Ghada Amer. Within the galleries, a 14th-century French sculpture of Mary and Jesus by an unknown artist was displayed next to similar expressions of motherhood from Egypt and the Congo. Influential political and religious figures, along with philosophers from different eras, including Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, Mesopotamian ruler Gudea, Buddha, Socrates, and Confucius, were presented side by side. “They all seek the same answers: Why are we here? What is our destiny?” Al-Dhaheri remarked.

As we explored the museum, we marveled at the furniture, porcelain, carpets, and scientific instruments from France, India, Iran, and China, illustrating how advanced craftsmanship and scientific inquiry emerged during the early days of global trade. There were nudes on display, and I even ordered — gasp! — a glass of wine at the café and another at the museum's branch of Fouquet’s, the famous restaurant known for mixing steak tartare tableside, à la Parisienne. Despite the stunning architecture, the experience felt somewhat restrained, at least by Western standards. This is not Paris. It was time to seek out some rawness within the Gulf's polished exterior.

The following morning, I departed the Jumeirah hotel on Saadiyat Island (my top pick for a getaway due to its secluded beachfront location) and took a taxi to meet Maya Allison, the executive director of the Art Gallery at New York University Abu Dhabi. NYU was the first major Western educational and arts institution to collaborate with Abu Dhabi, launching a 38-acre campus on Saadiyat Island 12 years ago. Allison, a Californian and former curator at Brown University, introduced me to a wonderfully iconoclastic and humorous exhibition by a collective of Iranian artists — Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian — who live in self-imposed exile in the U.A.E.

The highlight featured a video homage to Iran’s 'King of Dance,' Mohammad Khordadian. “After the revolution, he fled Iran when dancing became prohibited, eventually landing in Los Angeles,” Allison recounted. In early 1980s L.A., Khordadian encountered Jane Fonda's workout videos and crafted his own versions, infused with traditional Iranian dance styles. These East-meets-West workout tapes were smuggled back into Iran on VHS, creating an underground phenomenon. They inspired the trio of artists, known collectively as Ramin Rokni Hesam, to produce a mash-up tribute, showcasing both Khordadian and everyday Iranians mimicking his choreography. Their piece challenges Tehran’s cultural constraints and resonates with the current protests led by women in the city. It also blurs gender identity lines: many routines Khordadian devised are traditionally feminine dances, like belly dancing. “It’s playful yet subversive,” Allison noted. “Imagine a viral TikTok but back in the 1980s on VHS.”

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The following day, I encountered thought-provoking work in a studio atop the glass-fronted Sama Tower in downtown Abu Dhabi — a structure that looks like any other modern office building in the Gulf from the outside. On the 23rd floor, as sunlight filtered through the morning desert haze, I stepped into the paint-splattered apartment of 33-year-old artist Maitha Abdalla, who often creates at night “when my emotions are strongest,” she shared. Abdalla stands out as one of the U.A.E.’s most avant-garde young artists. Her multimedia creations utilize provocative imagery to delve into themes of sin, conflict, and forgiveness. Pigs frequently appear in her work; she views the animal as “a symbol of wrongdoing, as pigs are considered sinful in this region.” She presented a scene from her video, The Guest, where she dons “the veil and dress I wear to pray while holding a pig’s-head mask. I set it on the table, offer the pig food, and then eat alongside it. It’s about facing sin and fear.”

Abdalla’s art can be challenging to interpret and often feels provocative within the context of a traditional society. Her father once implored her to abandon her unique creations in favor of the conventional sculptures of falcons and horses that typically embellish traffic circles in the U.A.E. Thankfully, she disregarded his advice: she was one of three artists selected to represent Abu Dhabi at the Palazzo Franchetti during the 2022 Venice Biennale, held a solo exhibition during Frieze London last fall, and her work is set to be featured at Art Basel 2023.

One of Abdalla’s closest friends and former studio-mate prefers an industrial workspace in Mussafah, on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by halal butcher shops and small factories. Hashel Al Lamki’s choice of location surprised me, as he portrays a different aspect of the emirate — one that is more attuned to the natural environment. The 36-year-old, who studied at Parsons School of Design in New York City, focuses on sustainability themes, often capturing the mountainous landscapes near Al-Ain. “I feel nomadic at heart and deeply connected to the earth and environment,” he shared. In his hands, the desert has never looked more stunning.

Curious about the origins of Abu Dhabi's cultural narrative, I visited one of the city's key attractions: the Cultural Foundation. Following the U.A.E.'s independence from the U.K. in 1971, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler at the time, mandated that an entire block in the heart of the federal capital, Abu Dhabi, be preserved from skyscrapers to create a park and cultural center. Completed in 1981, the building is a masterpiece in its own right, featuring Brutalist concrete columns adorned with geometric tiles in a mid-century color scheme of mustard and cerulean blue. The Bauhaus-meets-Middle East design emerged from a global competition to select a lead architect, with the winning firm being the Architects Collaborative, co-founded by the notable Modernist Walter Gropius.

Rabi Georges and Zuhoor Al Sayegh, the curators and arts programmers at the foundation, welcomed me and introduced the work of Farah Al Qasimi, showcased in the central hall. The 32-year-old photographer, educated at Yale and currently residing in Brooklyn, aims to surprise her audience with images that explore themes of vulnerability and power. They highlighted her portraits of Arab men, styled to appear notably feminine, countering the regional norms of machismo. They also pointed out how her depictions of Arab women challenge traditional beauty standards. (One portrait features a woman with one blue eye and one brown.) Many of Al Qasimi’s pieces are set to be included in the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's permanent collection upon its opening.

The contemporary counterpart to the Cultural Center is 421, a 12,000-square-foot repurposed warehouse near the docks. Managed by Faisal Al Hassan, this space aims to provide emerging artists with their first opportunities — including Hashel Al Lamki. During my visit, 421's main exhibition showcased the work of Ammar Al Attar, a photographer and performance artist. Al Attar holds a government office job, which inspired his series “Out of Range,” a collection of videos and photographs that capture the monotony and stagnation many experienced while working from home during the COVID lockdowns. In one video, Al Attar repeatedly draws the same circle in charcoal until the charcoal is exhausted or he collapses from dizziness and fatigue; in another, he repetitively stamps the same sheet of paper.

As with many large initiatives in the Gulf, Abu Dhabi's efforts to emphasize culture over carbon have faced criticism. Skeptics argue that, despite claims of using the arts to shift local attitudes, traditional views persist. They reference Caitlin McNamara, a British organizer hired for the inaugural Hay Festival in the emirate, who accused Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the U.A.E.'s minister of tolerance, of sexual assault at his villa in 2021. Al Nahyan denies the allegation, and no charges have been filed; McNamara is seeking a private prosecution.

Others label Abu Dhabi's actions as 'culture washing' — employing artistic initiatives to divert attention from the country’s problematic human rights history, particularly regarding migrant construction workers. The Gulf Labor Artist Coalition, an activist organization, has called for a boycott of the new cultural institutions on Saadiyat due to the harsh working conditions faced by those who construct them.

In his high-rise office along the corniche, Mubarak rejected the notion of culture-washing. 'We’re doing this to educate future generations,' he stated. He maintained that 'significant policy reforms' are enhancing the conditions for migrant laborers. The longstanding practice known as kafala, which restricted workers from changing jobs or returning home without employer consent, has been abolished. 'Is it perfect? No. But when we identify issues, we address them decisively.'

As I stepped out from beneath the steel dome of the Louvre at the end of my visit, I pondered the advice I’d offer to culture enthusiasts with frequent flyer miles. I would suggest not overlooking the less attractive aspects of the new museums and galleries, but also not letting them deter you. A more socially liberal and inclusive Middle East is taking shape, with Abu Dhabi at its core. Allison summed it up perfectly: 'You don’t invest heavily in art, culture, or education like this just to gain popularity,' she shared over coffee and dates. 'You do it because you genuinely want to cultivate a population capable of original and creative thought and action.'

If you're still uncertain, consider this: In light of the destruction of ancient cultures in countries like Syria and Afghanistan, and with tourists facing attacks for visiting museums in Tunisia, fostering cultural dialogue between East and West is more crucial than ever. That’s the mission of Abu Dhabi, with support from French and American cultural institutions—and tourists. I encourage you to be one of them.

An Artistic Journey Through Abu Dhabi

Directions to Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways:  The national airline of Abu Dhabi offers direct flights from New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. If possible, opt for the spacious Airbus A350 for your journey.

Accommodation Options

Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort: This resort features 296 rooms, suites, and villas with stunning views of the Gulf. Both staff and guests actively participate in conserving marine life, including the turtles that nest along the beach.

Activities to Explore

Cultural Foundation: Established in 1981, this arts center was created to promote intellectual and creative pursuits in the newly independent U.A.E.

421: This art gallery, housed in a repurposed warehouse by the docks, seeks to launch the careers of Middle Eastern artists while offering engaging programs for all age groups.

Louvre Abu Dhabi: The first international branch of the renowned Paris museum displays art from around the world beneath a dome that, despite its massive weight, seems to hover gracefully above the structure.

NYUAD Art Gallery: This gallery features exhibitions by local and international artists, enhanced by public programs and guided tours at New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus.

This story was originally published in the March 2023 issue of Dinogo under the title 'Fine Lines.'