Today the Louvre Museum Branch in Abu Dhabi will be Formally Opened

Ten years after the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between France and the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, a Louvre branch opens, reports BNT. 

The official ceremony in the presence of the heads of state of the two countries is today, but the branch of the famous French museum will be open to visitors on Saturday with concerts and performances that will continue until November 14.

The author of the project is the world-famous architect Jean Nouvel, and 600 million euros were invested in the construction of the museum. The Louvre branch is located on the artificial island of Saadiyat on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. It is housed under an impressive glass dome.

The permanent collection will include about 600 works of art from different ages and civilizations, with 200 of them already arranged for the opening. Only 5% of the exhibits in the 23 galleries will be dedicated to contemporary art. The agreement with the French Museum is for 30 years, and the value of permanent and temporary exposures together with the rights to use the name Louvre is estimated at 1 billion euros.