Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to make the city a global destination for people from all over the world to learn about universal cultures while staying true to their roots and traditions. TOFARATI IGE, who was recently at the city’s Saadiyat Cultural District, writes
In a bid to create a platform for Emiratis to learn about their culture and tradition, as well as attract culturally curious individuals from all over the world, the government of Abu Dhabi is developing the Saadiyat Cultural District.
Saadiyat Island – which is also known as the ‘Island of Happiness’ – was selected as the location for this important district that is home to one of the greatest concentrations of global institutions showcasing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to culture.
Since then, several museums, galleries, cultural centres and art schools (such as Manarat Al Saadiyat, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Berklee Abu Dhabi) have been established in the Saadiyat Cultural District, while others (including Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena and Zayed National Museum) will be completed by the end of 2025.
Since the project was initiated, it has become an embodiment of empowerment, showcasing global narratives that support the region’s heritage while promoting a diverse cultural landscape.
The district is under the guidance of the Department of Culture and Tourism, which regulates activities related to culture and tourism.
An official of the department told Sunday PUNCH that the Saadiyat Cultural District “covers everything from meteorites to the metaverse”.
They added that paleontology, and the preservation of historical buildings and artefacts were critical to what the district stands for.
Manarat Al Saadiyat
Since it was opened in 2008, the Manarat Al Saadiyat, which was designed by Aedas Architects, has become an important destination for exhibitions and other notable events. Manarat Al Saadiyat serves as a centre for creative artistic expression and a place that offers awareness and deep insight to millions of visitors through art, culture, history, and even science.
The centre is home to three galleries for temporary exhibitions, an outdoor events terrace, a café, a 250-seat auditorium, and a 100-seat theatre space.
It is also home to two significant initiatives in Abu Dhabi’s cultural calendar – Culture Summit Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Art, an international art fair. In 2022, the fair’s 14th edition featured 80 galleries from 20 countries, representing more than 900 artworks by 300 artistes from diverse countries such as Nigeria, Cuba, Tunisia, South Korea, Italy, Morocco, Colombia, France and Turkey.
Another important event is the Culture Summit, which is organised by the DCT in collaboration with global partners, including UNESCO, the Economist Impact, the Design Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, Google, and Recording Academy, among others. It is attended by leaders from the fields of arts, design, heritage, media, museums, public policy and technology from more than 90 countries to discuss and identify new ways in which culture can transform societies and communities worldwide.
At the time our correspondent visited Manarat Al Saadiyat, some students were staging a play in one of the halls as part of the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi School Theatre Festival.
Dressed in elaborate costumes and vivid face paintings, the delivery of the play was enhanced by an audio-visual ceiling-to-floor screen, which provided background images, videos and sounds. Even though they spoke Arabic, the universality of art was further emphasised as their depiction resonated regardless of language barriers.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
“E kaabo,” which means “You are welcome” in Yoruba, is one of the first words that greet visitors as they step into the opulent entrance to the gigantic edifice that is the Louvre Abu Dhabi. This is part of a carefully thought-out and interconnected system of structures that make up the Saadiyat Cultural District.
The art museum is approximately 24,000 square metres in size, with 8,000 square metres of galleries, making it the largest art museum in the Arabian Peninsula. Artworks from around the world are showcased at the museum, with a stated intent to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western art. It is run under an agreement that was signed between the UAE and France in March 2007.
As a collaboration with the Musee du Louvre, Paris, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has its permanent collection but is supplemented by rotating loans from 19 French partner institutions, as well as regional and international museums.
The universality of the museum is all too apparent in the global representation of the different sections and collections on display. There are paintings and other artworks from different parts of the world including Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
Some of the interesting items at the facility are pottery and ornaments from the first village in Abu Dhabi that date back to 5500 BCE; as well as a vase from ancient Mesopotamia.
A 3,000-year-old stamp seal belonging to one of the founding fathers of the Emirates, as well as the khanjar (ceremonial dagger) which belonged to UAE’s founder, Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan – which though is a weapon, also stands for peace and identity – are also on display, offering a glimpse into the rich history of the Emirates, and how tradition continues to shape its future.
Currently, the museum displays 5,971 artworks by over 313 artists from diverse cultures, including Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Japan, Morocco, and Cuba.
These works of art are displayed side-by-side, from pre-history to the present, to allow visitors to appreciate important cultural connections, similarities, moments of cultural encounters, as well as intellectual exchanges, and points of differences.
Notable items in Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection include a page of a blue Quran from North Africa (ca 900); and paintings such as Virgin and Child by Giovanni Bellini (1480-1485), Young Emir Studying by Osman Hamdi Bey (1878), and Head of a Young Man with Clasped Hands: Study of the Figure of the Christ by Rembrandt van Rijn (ca 1648-1652).
These highlight the importance that the UAE places on teaching its children and future generations about its culture and staying connected to their roots, there is a free children’s museum within the Louvre.
While there, our correspondent paid a visit to the ‘Space Station,’ which is a replica of the International Space Station. Upon entering the station, guests can see a space suit, the type won by astronauts on the ISS.
Pictures of Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansoori — the first two Emirati astronauts to go aboard the ISS — are also on display, ostensibly to inspire children to see what is possible as they learn about the cosmos.
According to a guide, one of the reasons for the creation of the children’s section is to teach kids about space and humans, in relation to the universe. The guide adds that the country is “investing heavily” in space exploration.
Beyond the works of art on display at the Louvre, its impressive architecture is also a marvel to behold. Patterned after the region’s rich architectural traditions and the museum’s unique location “at the point where the Arabian sky meets the sands of the Saadiyat Island and the waters of the Arabian Gulf,” the building is said to be a symphony in concrete, water and the subtle play of reflected light.
French architect and the brain behind the building, Jean Nouvel, said it was also a “tribute to nature as inspired by the palm trees of Abu Dhabi”. The centrepiece of the structure is a huge silvery dome that appears to float above the museum city. Despite its apparent weightlessness, the dome, which covers 23 buildings of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, weighs around 7,500 tonnes.
Nouvel adds that the dome, which is inspired by the cupola — a distinctive feature in Arabic architecture — is a complex, geometric structure of 7,850 stars. The stars are repeated at various sizes and angles in eight different layers. As the sun passes above, its light filters through the perforations in the dome to create an enchanting effect within the museum, known as the “rain of light”.
Berklee Abu Dhabi
Berklee is the preeminent institute of contemporary music and performing arts, offering music, performing arts and educational programmes throughout the year.
Established in 2020, Berklee Abu Dhabi is a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and Berklee College of Music. The Berklee Abu Dhabi Centre ignites and inspires creative industry professionals poised to impact the growing and thriving cultural, educational and performing arts industries in the MENA region. Through sustainable and innovative educational experiences, the centre aims to build bridges between the Middle East and the Berklee ecosystem to support talents across diverse communities.
Programmes offered at Berklee Abu Dhabi serve local and regional students of all ages with instruction in voice, piano, DJ-ing and turntablism, production, songwriting, film scoring, music business, dance and more. Flagship programmes include an artist accelerator certificate programme named PEARL (Performance Artistry and Leadership), the Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit and major performances throughout the year.
With construction due for completion by the end of 2025, Saadiyat Cultural District will be joined by four more renowned cultural institutions.
Zayed National Museum
Named after the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founder and first President, the Zayed National Museum is the national museum of the UAE. It will explore the landscapes, history, languages and culture of the UAE from pre-history to the present, including the country’s recent economic and social transformation.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a man who believed so much in the role of culture in building a viable nation and fostering love for it in the hearts of citizens. He defined the cultural agenda and unveiled the history of the UAE to the world through archaeological excavations and findings.
This led him to inaugurate the Al Ain Museum in 1971 and create the Cultural Foundation the same year. He also envisioned a modern, cultural institution that would serve as a vital building block for society. He foresaw a place from which a cultural awakening would spring, starting with the capital, Abu Dhabi, and spreading to the rest of the UAE and beyond.
In 1973, an international competition was held for the architectural design of the Cultural Foundation, which would embody a national landmark in which cultural initiatives could flourish and a design that would remain true to Arab-Islamic style, while exuding aspirations for modernity and progress. A design was eventually selected from an international team, and by 1981, the centre was opened in the city.
At inception, the Cultural Foundation housed the first national library, a performance auditorium and an exhibition centre. There was also a series of groundbreaking programmes celebrating local and regional cultures, showcasing a variety of art forms and encouraging cross-cultural exchanges. Saadiyat Cultural District pays homage to the legacy of Sheikh Zayed’s vision.
Zayed National Museum will hold in trust a collection of over 2,594 art and artefacts from the ancient and living cultures of the UAE, and the wider region, Southern Mediterranean, North Africa, Europe, India, and China, contextualising the interactions, exchanges, and influences that each has exerted on the other throughout history.
The museum, which was designed by Foster+Partners, London, United Kingdom, will also be the primary institution in the UAE to display material related to the life and achievements of Sheikh Zayed, and will include a garden and gallery dedicated to exploring his achievements.
The structure has a unique architecture as well. It includes a series of five steel structures that rise above the museum, evoking a falcon’s wing. Acting like cooling funnels, they deploy the same principles as the traditional wind towers that can be found across the Emirates, ventilating the museum by drawing warm air out of the building naturally.
National History Museum
The Natural History Museum is billed for completion before the end of 2025, but some of the items in its collection are already exciting scientists, paleontologists and archaeologists. It will house a species of dinosaurs which is said to be about 150 million years old. It was said to have been excavated from Kaycee, Eastern Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming, United States of America.
According to officials of the museum, this particular dinosaur’s body is believed to be about 90 per cent complete, which is more than what is obtained for most other dinosaur carcasses that have been excavated around the world.
Another item in the museum is the Murchison meteorite, which is said to be a rare rock that fell from space and is believed to be a piece of a comet. The Murchison meteorite is even much older than the sun and contains stardust, and pre-solar gains resulting from the explosion of old stars.
When completed, it is said that the museum’s displays will take visitors on a 13.8 billion-year journey through time and space and will include a ‘thought-provoking perspective on what a sustainable future might look like.
Other items that make up the 1,121 objects in the museum are seven million-year-old fossils discovered in Abu Dhabi’s western Al Dhafra region, which date back to a time when Abu Dhabi and much of Arabia was a rich landscape of rivers, savanna grasslands and forests.
There is also a gallery focusing on space exploration, which features Voyager Interstellar recordings created by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan and commissioned by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The museum is currently more than 65 per cent complete and is expected to play a pivotal role in furthering research and broadening knowledge and understanding of the natural world.
teamLab Phenomena
Designed by Japanese architect and President of teamLab Architects, Shogo Kawata, teamLab Phenomena is created in collaboration with the DCT and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading developer of immersive destinations and experiences, and is an immersive platform that sits on 17,000 square metres.
Though it has yet to be completed, it is envisioned as an organic space where art and architecture combine with cutting-edge technology and science to take visitors on an immersive, multi-sensory journey through 17 digital art experiences with artworks that change in response to their environment, like life itself.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
Established to develop more diverse curatorial perspectives and new histories of modern and contemporary art, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a collaboration between the DCT, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
Billed to be completed in 2025, the museum has built a global permanent collection of more than 976 acquisitions from 426 male (620 artworks) and female (331 artworks) artists from more than 70 countries with a specific focus on West Asian, North African, and South Asian art.
Highlights of the collection include a sculptural portrait of Andy Warhol by the Venezuelan artist, Marisol Escobar, and Mogamma (A Painting in Four Parts) by the Ethiopian-born, US-based artist, Julie Mehretu, among others.
Featuring 28 galleries and 23,000 square metres of exterior exhibition space, the museum was designed by Frank Gehry, the architect of Guggenheim Bilbao. With a gross floor area of 80,000 square metres, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be the largest of the Guggenheim museums in the world.
DCT as enablers of culture and tourism
The Department of Culture and Tourism is the government regulator in charge of “promoting, protecting and progressing Abu Dhabi with culture and tourism”, but its officials describe themselves as “enablers of tangible and intangible things that have to do with culture”.
Indeed, there is no doubt that the massive investment in culture, arts, and tourism is paying off as the Saadiyat Cultural District plays host to no fewer than 200,000 guests every year.
Beyond the SCD, most of the about 200 islands that make up Abu Dhabi are also being put to good use. For example, Yas Island is currently home to theme parks and other tourist attractions, such as Ferrari World (which houses the fastest roller coaster in the world), Yas Marina Circuit, Sea World, Clymb (the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall at a height of 141 feet), and Etihad Arena (18,000-seater indoor arena), among others.
What Nigeria can learn
There is no doubt that Nigeria’s tourism sector has a lot of potential. However, due to the inactions of successive governments and other stakeholders, that potential has never really translated to tangible investments in the sector.
With locations such as the Obudu Mountain Resort (Cross River), Olumo Rock (in Abeokuta, Ogun State), Agbokim Waterfalls (in Cross River), Kainji National Park (Niger and Kwara states), Mambilla Plateau (Taraba State) and many others, the country is sitting on a tourism gold mine and can reap the benefits only if a conducive environment is put in place for businesses in that sector, such as hotels and resorts, to thrive.
The state of security in the country will also have to be greatly improved as no tourist will want to visit a country where they won’t feel safe and protected. However, this will not happen overnight but will take dedicated, concerted, intentional and creative efforts to make it a reality.
Just like Nigeria, the UAE is an oil-producing nation, but it has since diversified its economy away from reliance on oil, and has made massive investments in cultural tourism, which is paying off and generating a lot of foreign exchange for the country.
At a time when Nigeria is grappling with dwindling revenues from the sale of crude oil and a fluctuating naira, the tourism sector can flip the coin, and attract more money into the country, even more so than oil has done.
Saadiyat Cultural District will foster unity — DCT Abu Dhabi chair
The Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Al Mubarak, tells TOFARATI IGE about the drive behind the government’s massive investment in the Saadiyat Cultural District, among other issues
There is an intentional effort to curate art and artworks in the Saadiyat Cultural District to have universal appeal, giving special emphasis to Africa. What role do you think Africa plays in the evolution of arts and culture?
Even though art and culture have such strong roots in Africa, it was mind-boggling for me whenever I visited different (art) institutions around the world while growing up, that I did not see African art. I only saw small components of it, and they were not given the level of importance they deserved.
Here in Abu Dhabi, together with our partners from all over the world, we are creating a cultural centre that celebrates and represents everyone. It is at the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District. It is a place where anyone can be taken on a voyage of time to learn about the history of this land and the history of the world in general, then back to the present, and forward into the future, but celebrated equally.
Saadiyat Cultural District is about giving humans a stronger understanding of one another’s perspectives and history and offer people an opportunity to see things through a different lens.
Currently, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is open, having welcomed 5,000,000 visitors since opening in 2017. But there are four other museums under construction— Sheikh Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena. The beautiful thing is that all of these institutions are linked to the stories of each other to create one big story about humanity, about the celebration of human capabilities, human art forms and human thinking. But from Day One, I have always said that if we are going to do this properly, then it has to start with Africa.
What is the department’s relationship with Nigeria?
I recently had an amazing conversation with Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and we spoke about what the future holds for us. I am very glad to say that we are going to be working closely together in igniting a new vision of how we can project the beautiful culture, history, art forms and creative minds coming out of Nigeria in our museums, especially the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Our intention is that when anybody comes here, they will find their identity in these artifacts or artworks, and ultimately celebrate themselves. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is a voyage through the history of art, but what makes it very different to any other museum is that it is a thematic voyage.
We have chosen certain themes because they represent shared values. For example, motherhood is a relationship that is familiar to people from all over the world. We then look at this theme from a historical perspective, at how it has been viewed over the years. And, that is very powerful for us, because it connects and brings people together. It breeds a different type of understanding.
We also wanted to showcase artworks on an equal pedestal. In Western museums, narratives are usually viewed through a Western lens. We did not want to do that, so while people know about the empires of Europe, it was very important for us to educate them about other empires, such as that of the Benin Kingdom in Nigeria.
It is that same approach that is extended to the other museums, which have yet to be opened. They are designed to represent artists equally, especially those who have been misrepresented or unrepresented in the past. We know that there are artists from Africa, Latin America, and Asia who have not been given the same spotlight as artists from other parts of the world and now we have the opportunity to celebrate them and this is the approach in all our museums.
What should people who travel to Abu Dhabi expect?
We want everybody who comes to Abu Dhabi to feel welcomed. In the UAE, 75 to 80 per cent of the population are from all over the world but regard our country as their home. They have come with their identities, traditions, cultures and histories, and they are all celebrated in Abu Dhabi.
In January 2025, we will be hosting the All Africa Festival. It will be a celebration of African dance, music, fashion and food. We have a long list of Nigerian artistes who will be coming here, such as Omah Lay, Tekno and Yemi Alade. There will also be creatives from Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and other African countries.
Despite the modern advancements in Abu Dhabi, the city still has a strong link to its past and traditions. What advice do you have for people all over the world who, on a quest for modernity, neglect their cultures and traditions?
This is something we continually need to emphasise to our youths. We need to safeguard our identities, traditions, and heritage. And that is a major component of Saadiyat Cultural District. We ensure that all we do reflects our tradition and heritage, similar to what is happening in Nollywood, where people are creating a lot of unbelievable content that tells their own stories.
If someone else tells our story for us, things will be missed, and viewed from a different perspective. We need to see more of that in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, because our stories have yet to be really known. If we don’t want somebody to rewrite our history, we have to write it ourselves, to help us write our future.
Beyond the artworks exhibited in the museums, the buildings are architectural delights. What influenced the choice of architects that were selected to design the structures?
It was important for us to make sure that when people come to this district, the first thing they will do is take a step back and admire these architectural wonders. And, when they admire them, they celebrate the power of human ingenuity. It was crucial for us that all the architects we worked with understood the essence of why we were doing this and were aware of the essence of the UAE and Abu Dhabi.
For example, the dome of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a representation of the oasis in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. The acres of oasis in Al Ain are surrounded by thousands of date trees, and they create the type of visual effect that is reflected in the Louvre Abu Dhabi, as a result of the light passing through them.
Also, if you look at the Guggenheim, which was designed by Frank Gehry, those cones that come out of the ground represent our old barjeels that also worked as a type of air conditioner for us.
Similarly, the National Museum has wings like a falcon’s. Here, the falcon is a national treasure. It is our connection with nature. These are not just buildings separate in their nature. They are designed for a specific purpose. And, that purpose is to foster community and inclusion. People come here from different places around the world and find common ground.
It is also evident that educating children about their culture and equipping them with tools for the future is a common theme that runs through the SCD. How does that fit into your vision?
A lot of what we are doing here is for the future and the generations who come after us. When the Louvre Abu Dhabi was opened, the President of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed, described it as “a gift to the world,” not just to the UAE or the region. He also said it is for the youth of the world.
It is imperative for us that this cultural movement is intertwined with our youth because the belief is that the creative industries are the future.
It is about getting children at a very young age to understand global culture, humanity, and connection. While doing this, it is also necessary to give them opportunities to truly flourish in what they want to create; whether they are musicians, artists, dancers, fashion designers, graphic designers, gamers, or whatever their passion is.
Some people wonder why there is a children’s museum at the Louvre because the Louvre is a very serious art institution. But it is there for a specific reason. If we are not talking directly to the youth, then what’s the point? Our children’s museum is a place where kids can still be kids, and where they can experience art in the way that kids should experience art. Let them feel it, touch it, and see that it’s a part of life. They need to know that there are real artworks and artifacts in the museum. Everything we do is an investment in the future.
