The Saadiyat Cultural District is on track for completion by the end of 2025, the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi has announced.
When finished, the district on the western side of Saadiyat Island, close to the centre of the United Arab Emirates capital, will be one of the greatest concentrations of museums and cultural venues.
We spoke to the Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, to discuss the plans.
Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi Courtesy © Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi
The Art Newspaper: What are the benefits and challenges of envisioning a curated collection of institutions?
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak: Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi will be home to one of the highest concentrations of cultural institutions. Through its diverse museums, institutions, narratives, collections and visitor experience, the District offers a global platform to celebrate the world’s heritage while supporting equitable culture and promoting a diverse cultural landscape.
Comprising more than seven museums and cultural institutions, all located in close proximity, Saadiyat Cultural District is designed to be an inspiring place of encounters and exchange, utilising the transformative power of culture to foster mutual understanding and appreciation. The District will convey a message of cultural diversity that will become more powerful over time, creating global connections, inspiring cultural exchange and fostering new ways of thinking to support the region, the Global South and the world.
A project of this size is challenging, as its ambitions and mission must transcend boundaries and geographies to resonate globally while being deeply rooted in our land and history. It also requires meticulous planning to allow us the time and resources to deliver sustainable institutions that showcase innovative narratives, the finest collections and a refined scientific and curatorial vision, achieving the ideal balance between individual institutions and the overall cultural journey.
In planning Saadiyat Cultural District, how do you think about its connections to the rest of Abu Dhabi? How does the history of the city and its culture influence the project?
As a meeting point for civilisations that have traded in our emirate for millennia, Saadiyat Cultural District is an evolution of Abu Dhabi’s far-reaching history and heritage. The United Arab Emirates’ founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was passionate about cherishing, protecting and promoting our traditions and the diverse influences that shaped our culture. The UAE was founded in 1971 and to document our history, he opened the UAE’s first museum in Al Ain in 1971, and it continued with the inauguration of the Cultural Foundation as the first cultural centre in 1981.
The Zayed National Museum will feature five "falcon wings" which also act as cooling towers. Render: © Foster+Partners
Today, this legacy continues to evolve under the guidance of the UAE’s visionary leaders who believe in the power of education and culture to shape our nation and its cities. Their investment in culture is a commitment that has been at the core of our nation’s vision and ambitions. Similarly, our institutions at Saadiyat Cultural District provide dynamic spaces that foster interactions, shared experiences and cultural exchange among people from diverse backgrounds while empowering young people to embrace its message of mutual understanding, diversity and respect. Their interactions with our museums and institutions foster critical thinking and cultivate creativity as these civic places serve as platforms for lifelong learning.
Saadiyat Cultural District includes museums of art and national history as well as a music school and an immersive digital art space. How do these institutions interact and work together?
Each institution within the Saadiyat Cultural District uniquely contributes to the overall vision and ambitions of being a centre of knowledge, innovation and creativity. Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first universal museum in the Arab world, uses an innovative curatorial approach to showcase artworks from different cultures side by side. It tells stories of human creativity that transcend civilisations, geographies and times, fostering understanding across cultures.
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is by Frank Gehry, the same architect as Bilbao Image courtesy of Gehry Partners
Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates, will allow visitors to encounter an unparalleled collection of art and artefacts from the ancient and living cultures of the UAE and the region. It celebrates the nation’s rich history and culture and honours the legacy of the country’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who believed strongly in the role of knowledge and culture in nation-building.
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is dedicated to building knowledge and providing experiences that cultivate awareness of our planet’s extraordinary evolution. By igniting a lifelong passion for the natural world, the museum and research institute empower a new generation of advocates to help shape our planet’s future. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be a pre-eminent platform for contemporary art and culture, presenting significant artistic achievements of our time. It contributes to an inclusive and expansive view of art history that emphasises the convergence of local, regional and international sources of creative inspiration.
TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi offers an immersive experience that reveals the diversity of the natural world and reflects, through a creative journey, a philosophical dimension of global phenomena. Together, these museums tell a compelling story of our land, its connections with the region, and its historical exchange with the world.
The museums’ overall narrative will create an unparalleled global public sphere—a place where people can come together, openly exchange opinions and build a common understanding.
Saadiyat Cultural District institutions also include programmes for learning and education — why are these important?
Saadiyat Cultural District provides educational opportunities for future generations and supports them as they harness the power of creativity to shape the future. It offers access to creatives, scholars and innovators through a variety of educational initiatives. These include research and knowledge centres at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, the research programmes of the Zayed National Museum, and the diverse collections of the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Innovative annual programming across our institutions ignites curiosity, enhances critical thinking and cultivates knowledge across all our platforms. Fellowships and scholarships, offered in close cooperation with UAE and Abu Dhabi educational entities, support talents and learners from the UAE, the region and the world.
The Natural History Museum will include a T-rex fossil called Stan Image: © Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi
What do you think Saadiyat Cultural District will be like in 100 years’ time?
Throughout history, culture has repeatedly proven its power to inspire people, drive change and transform the way we see ourselves, each other and the world around us. With Saadiyat Cultural District we are creating a similar legacy that will inspire future artists, curators, writers and architects worldwide. Most importantly, we want the District to convey a message of cultural diversity that will become more powerful over time, creating global connections, inspiring cultural exchange and fostering new ways of thinking for generations to come.