Celebrating its first birthday today, the iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi has welcomed over 1 million visitors in its first year since its opening on 11 November 2017, establishing it very quickly as a world leading cultural destination. The museum on Saadiyat Island has become very popular amongst local residents as well as increasing the number of overseas tourists to Abu Dhabi. Over the past 12 months, 40% of visitors were Emirati nationals and UAE residents and 60% were tourists from all over the world including Europe, China, United States, GCC and India.
In its first 12 months the the museum has held over 100 special events, including performances, talks, film screenings and concerts and has featured over 400 artists coming from 22 different countries, and continues to host special events and exhibitions, including the forthcoming Rain of Light Festival from 11 to 15 December, a performing arts festival celebrating Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first season.
Image Credit: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi - Photo by Hufton
HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism at Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), said: “One year ago we spoke about Louvre Abu Dhabi as Abu Dhabi’s gift to the world – and today we are proud to have shared it with more than one million visitors already. Louvre Abu Dhabi has become an icon and a favourite destination in Abu Dhabi both for our local communities and visitors to the city. Our strong collaboration with our French and regional partners supports the museum’s mission to tell universal stories and we thank them. Yet our greatest success, 10 years in the making, is the next generation of Emirati museum professionals who are trained to the highest standard in the cultural sector and are leaders in their field.”
Image Credit: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi - Photo by Waleed Shah