This is it! The hour is upon us, for we have arrived at the
Louvre, Abu Dhabi. First thing that happened when we got to the parking lot and out of
Timah was that the museum personnel noticed my limp and arranged for an electric cart to chauffeur Cat, Brendan and I to the main entrance. That saved me the long walk from the parking lot, as well as provided me with an opportunity to snap some photos of the
Zayed Port from the perspective of the Louvre.
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| as we arrived at the parking lot |
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| an eagle-eyed personnel spotted my limp |
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| and arranged for an electric cart |
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| to take us on a little tour of the perimeter |
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| enabling me to capture these fabulous photos |
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| of Port Zayed from across the straits |
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| also known as Mina Zayed |
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| Brendan and Cat enjoyed the ride too |
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| approaching the Louvre from its sidewalk by the bay |
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| first glimpse of the fabled dome |
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| and catching sight of a traditional fishing boat |
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| exhilarating would be an understatement |
At the entrance we were greeted by several Emirati gentlemen offering free servings of locally brewed coffee. We politely declined as we were eager to get inside as soon as we could.
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| hello Habibi |
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| we politely declined |
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| one last look outside before we stepped in |
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is essentially an art and civilization museum, located on the Saadiyat Island Cultural District. We visited the Louvre during the 2019/2020 season where the collection was entitled 'Changing Societies'. At the time of our visit there were quite a few international tourists from (what we can tell) all corners of the globe. We even overheard a French gentleman remark that he preferred this to the one in France, imagine that! One possible reason for this is that the Louvre Abu Dhabi hosts far less items so it is possible to experience all that it has to offer in one day.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi's motto is 'see humanity in a new light' and to reach this lofty goal it presents its visitors with a truly universal perspective on art and culture.
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| here we go! |
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| the "Bohemian" printed on the tickets |
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| first few pieces we saw |
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| why so sullen? |
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| a proper site map |
Our museum galleries tell a chronological history of human creativity that explores the shared ideas and issues that have defined our common humanity from pre-history to the present.
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| Two-Headed Monumental Statue |
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| Ramesses II, Pharaoh of Egypt |
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| worth a 2nd shot |
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| Sphinx, Mythological Creature |
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| Portrait of a Queen (Ptolemaic Dynasty) |
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| Bodhisattva |
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| the end of one hallway |
Featuring a global selection of around 600 masterpieces drawn from our growing permanent collection, our displays are also regularly updated with a rolling roster world-class loans from our international partners, which means that there is always something new for visitors to discover.
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| leads to another gallery |
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| Reliquary Cross (fragment of True Cross) |
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| Seated Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) |
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| Guanyin, Bodhisattva of Compassion |
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| Buddha Head (Gupta empire) |
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| Buddha Head (Eastern Wei or Northern Qi) |
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Sculpted Basin with The Name of Bonifilius
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| Monumental "Mari-cha" lion, Spain |
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| this reminded me of Cat |
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| Ginny said the lady in the painting reminded her of Cat |
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| Altar sculpture of a Rooster (Edo culture) |
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| Laocoon and his Sons |
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| while this reminded me of a lazy Cat |
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| Fight between Cruegas & Damoxenos |
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| Fight between Cruegas & Damoxenos |
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| Napoleon Bonaparte, Crossing the Alps |
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| Abyssinian Chieftan |
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| Bacchus in the Vat |
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| Grosse Geist Nr.7 (Large Spirit No.7) |
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| Orange press "a+b" |
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We reached the end of the galleries and found ourselves outside, and right underneath the fabled dome. The intricate geometric dome is both reminiscent of traditional Arabic architecture screens and crucial in achieving Architect’s Jean Nouvel’s vision for a “rain of light.”
Inspired by the cupola, a distinctive feature in Arabic architecture, Nouvel’s dome is a complex, geometric structure with a breath-taking diameter of 180 meters (590ft) made up of 7,850 aluminium stars and weighs over 7,000 tonnes. These stars are repeated at various sizes and angles in eight different layers.
More photos were to be had under the shade of the 'cupola' before we finally made our way out of the Louvre and back to Timah.
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| Walking Man. On a Column |
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| we've reached the Plaza |
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| in the shade of the 'cupola' |
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| time for a selfie or two |
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| we expect super yachts of the sheiks dropping by for a visit.. |
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| or crowded tourist boats on a day trip |
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| The cupola rests on a mere four pillars |
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| creating a surreal floating effect |
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| resembling shadows created by palm trees in an oasis |
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| every angle and line seems well placed & well weighted |
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| yet so asymmetrical, almost random |
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| its time to head out |
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| bidding a fond farewell |
Grand as the Louvre is, the entry fee is actually quite high by our standards, but we feel the price is more than justified simply for the enthralling and uplifting experience it gave us. The Louvre Abu Dhabi ticket prices are:
- Adults – 60 AED
- Children between 13 & 23 years – 30 AED
- Children & disabled visitors under 13 – free
If we ever manage to visit the UAE again the Louvre Abu Dhabi will definitely be right up there on our list of destinations. My limp did put a damper on the experience this time around, so a right and proper visit will be on the cards next time!
We are no art connoisseurs, and neither do we pretend to be, but the chance to visit the Louvre and look at all the items on display must rank up there in our life's experiences, an experience provided by the mad-hatter tour guides, Ginny and Sern. So again, we say, "Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves and spend without fear of bankruptcy." And so again we are grateful to thee!
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