Abu Dhabi’s ambition to establish itself as a cultural and luxury hub began over a decade ago with the $27 billion Saadiyat Island project, which aimed to make the UAE a cultural tourism destination. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, completed in 2017 for $650 million, was a major milestone of this development, branding itself as the “world’s first universal museum” for its expansive, global art perspective. In 2026, the Louvre will be joined by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a Frank Gehry-designed museum that plans to juxtapose Western contemporary artists with influential voices from the Middle East and Asia.

These cultural efforts are rooted in the UAE’s 2005 strategy to diversify its economy and establish itself as a major destination for art and tourism. Part of this initiative was Abu Dhabi Art, an annual fair that began in 2007 and rebranded in 2009 under the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). Despite its ambitions to foster transnational cultural exchange, the fair has struggled to compete with Dubai’s booming commercial art scene, which hosts the majority of galleries and auction house headquarters in the region. Ben Floyd, CEO of Art Dubai, observes that while Dubai has attracted a strong commercial art market, Abu Dhabi has prioritized institutional development, positioning itself as a quieter, more traditional “older brother” to Dubai’s dynamic, commercial scene.

However, Abu Dhabi Art’s position might soon change. Rumors have circulated about a potential deal for Art Basel to take over management of the fair, with sources indicating a $20 million investment as part of the arrangement. Although neither Art Basel nor TDIC have confirmed the speculations, the move could signify a strategic shift for Abu Dhabi Art under the guidance of Art Basel, which has found success with recent projects in Paris. Art Basel’s parent company, MCH Group, has faced financial difficulties with a reported 41% net income decline, fueling the need for profitable expansions.

The UAE’s booming status as a haven for high-net-worth individuals has fueled interest from global luxury brands and investors. Over recent years, a significant number of Western billionaires have relocated to the UAE, attracted by its tax benefits, as well as residents from the Middle East who view the UAE as a politically stable base. This influx has made the UAE an attractive prospect for art fairs, which must adapt to where high-spending collectors are likely to congregate.

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Rabate praised the project’s aim to bring together a diverse range of cultural and educational institutions under one roof, calling it a “remarkable commitment” to fostering curiosity, creativity, and intellectual growth. He noted that this initiative reflects a deep belief in the importance of knowledge, connection, and openness. “What Abu Dhabi is doing in Saadiyat is gathering all sources of curiosity, creativity, inspiration, and education. It’s an incredibly bold, I would say, commitment and belief in the importance of knowledge, of connection, of openness,” Rabate stated.

He further elaborated that the concept has been evolving for several years, involving extensive planning and collaboration to create a cohesive narrative for Abu Dhabi.

“The idea to bring world-class museums has been communicated for a while. What we see now is the critical moment where the plan is becoming a reality,” Rabate explained.

The Saadiyat Cultural District’s institutions will not only share physical proximity but also collaborate on various levels to enhance the visitor experience. According to Rabate, this collaboration will create a seamless flow between institutions. “For the visitor experience, it is extremely pleasant to be able to move from one to the other, going to Zayed National Museum in the morning, an exhibition at Guggenheim, then having dinner at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and maybe catching a late show at Berklee,” he said. Each institution will contribute its unique mandate and narrative, enriching the overall cultural landscape.

With its focus on art, history, and technology, the Saadiyat Cultural District aims to position itself as a unique global platform. It will celebrate Abu Dhabi’s rich traditions while embracing modern advancements, making it a vibrant cultural hub that reflects both the city’s heritage and its forward-looking vision.

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The Guggenheim Museum in the UAE was created by renowned architect Frank Gehry, who also created the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. It will be the newest and biggest addition to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s network of international museums, according to the National. Important modern and contemporary works from West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia are anticipated to be displayed at Guggenheim Abu Dhabi as part of a collection that aspires to promote intercultural dialogue and cooperation.

Stephanie Rosenthal stated during a virtual event on Wednesday announcing the programmes planned for Guggenheim institutions worldwide this year that the collection has been in the works for more than ten years. After serving as the director of the Gropius Bau in Berlin and the main curator at the Hayward Gallery in London, Rosenthal was selected by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to serve as the project director for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. She collaborates with Maisa Al Qassimi, who represents DCT — Abu Dhabi in her capacity as acting project director.

She continued, “Excellent curators have worked for 15 years to build the collection. We won’t be constructing one in the next two years. It is a carefully considered endeavor.” According to Rosenthal, the museum approaches its acquisitions and commissions using three standards to make sure that they are contextually relevant, respond to the building’s architecture, and foster a collaborative environment.

When considering the collection and the commissions in the following year or two, she remarked, “there are three areas that we’re working in. One is essentially where we interact with the past, present, and environment. To ensure that the institution is interacting with the neighborhood audience. Then there is the actual space, which has Frank Gehry’s stunning architecture. The arrangement of the custom pieces in what we refer to as the cones will aid in establishing a mood.”

According to Rosenthal, the creation of a kindred environment within the museum will be the focus of the final curatorial pillar when taking the collection into account. She asserted that it is debatably the most significant of the three concepts.

“It’s how we collaborate with artists and carry out research initiatives to design a space that inspires a sense of kinship, hospitality, and belonging.”

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be next to some of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the nation, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the upcoming Natural History Museum, the Abrahamic Family House, and the Zayed National Museum. It will be situated in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District.

Construction on the museum started in 2011, following the project’s initial announcement in 2006. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is still expected to be finished in 2025, with an opening date scheduled for “shortly after,” according to Rosenthal. She remarked, “We’ll need ample time to get the artworks in.

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The new museum is designed by Frank Gehry who has designed the Guggenheim museums in Bilbao, Spain. The project is the region’s pre-eminent museum that is dedicated to global modern and contemporary art and the UAE branch is set to be the latest and largest outpost of the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation’s list of international museums.

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project was first announced 15 years ago and was initially meant to be completed by 2012, but later, the museum’s completion date was pushed to 2017. However, the development faced protests over labour rights, delays, and contract cancellations, as well as doubts around its viability through the global financial crisis.

But now, the project is heading towards its progress and is committed to complete the long-delayed branch of the Guggenheim in 2025.

The iconic museum is being developed on Saadiyat Island by DCT – Abu Dhabi and will present a global modern and contemporary art, with a focus on works from West Asia, North Africa, and South Asia (WANASA).

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will cover 30,000 square metres, with its gallery spaces spread across four levels connected by glass bridges, with a central atrium at its core.

Even though the project is still under construction, the museum has been building its collection over the past few years, which includes an acquisition of the film commission by artist Sarah Morris.

After its completion, the Guggenheim will join Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat and Berklee Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat cultural complex on an island off downtown Abu Dhabi.

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The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, an outpost of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, was first announced in 2006. It was initially due to open in 2012 and then in 2017. The museum will be designed by Frank Gehry and would be the  Guggenheim’s biggest space at around 320,000 sq. ft. The waterfront space is part of a cultural complex on Saadiyat Island overseen by the Emirati government-owned Tourism Development & Investment Company.

“We’ve had a very active acquisitions programme [at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi] for about 12 years now in the region and globally; it’ll be a museum that looks at the whole world from 1965,” Armstrong added. There are about 600 works in the collection, some of which are on an “heroic scale”, he said.

Armstrong meanwhile described the effects of the pandemic on the Guggenheim as a whole. “Even though it was painful in many ways, including people being put on furlough for a bit, and other people having reduced salaries… it became a time of change and adaptation at the museum and I have a feeling this may have been true at museums in Europe for different reasons. In any case, we have survived. I think we’ve come out as a better institution that is looking more to the future,” he said.

In August 2020, the Guggenheim unveiled a two-year plan to improve its recruitment and hiring practices, which included seeking more  diverse board of trustees, acquiring more works by minority artists and connecting with a broader audience. Among its other commitments were hiring a senior manager to act on those goals, expanding its internship programme to include more students of colour and starting an anti-racism conversation within the museum across departments.

Armstrong provided an update, saying that the Guggenheim recently appointing the institution’s first chief culture and inclusion officer, Ty Woodfolk. “We have begun to demonstrate a new attitude towards the employees; now the longer project is to change people’s attitudes and their working methods,” he said.

Naomi Beckwith was appointed deputy director and Jennifer and David Stockman chief curator in January. Beckwith, who was born and raised in Chicago, was originally training to be a doctor but “made a left turn on science into art history”, embarking on postgraduate studies in American art at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Working at the Studio Museum in Harlem proved pivotal, because it “represented the core of thinking around artists and the African diaspora”, she says

The future programme at the Guggenheim in New York includes exhibitions dedicated to Wassily Kandinsky, the Beirut-born artist Etel Adnan and the British artist Gillian Wearing. A survey will be dedicated to the US artist Alex Katz in 2023. In terms of Beckwith’s contribution, she said to “watch this space, we’ll be saying something sooner rather than later… we’re really seeing clearly a kind of ‘look again’ at the Guggenheim’s core history”.

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