Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is on track to complete by 2025.
Last week, it was reported that the long-delayed museum is set to welcome visitors in 2026, 20 years after the Guggenheim announced plans for its first location in the UAE.
The Frank Gehry-designed institution, dedicated to global modern and contemporary art, will be the Guggenheim’s largest location, covering 320,000 square feet.
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is being developed on Saadiyat Island by DCT Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.
“Guggenheim Abu Dhabi advances Abu Dhabi’s position as a dynamic centre for arts and culture,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim’s largest location on track
“The region’s pre-eminent museum of global modern and contemporary art, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will present an equitable platform for art from all over the world.”
“As we move forward with our plans, it is crucial to recognise the impact of this museum in realising our vision for the Emirate’s culture and creative industries,” Al Mubarak added.
“Investing in these industries is pivotal to the economic development of our Emirate, and to our contribution to the global art world.
“Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, along with other cultural institutions such as Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum, will undoubtedly contribute significantly to a thriving creative scene.”
The museum has been curating and delivering public programming since its inception in 2006, including three exhibitions in Abu Dhabi featuring select works from the collection.
Saadiyat Island museum investment plans
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi was originally set to open in 2012 before being moved to 2017. Pre-COVID, Guggenheim director Richard Armstrong said the museum would debut in 2022 or 2023.
Armstrong said the museum “will be home to an expansive and evolving collection of artworks that advance multiple perspectives on the global histories of modern and contemporary art”.
He added: “Abu Dhabi is a vibrant and diverse cultural centre with a global outlook and rapidly growing creative economy, making it the ideal location for a new international museum.”
Earlier this year, Abu Dhabi pledged to invest $6bn in cultural and creative industries. The city is investing heavily in the development of museums on Saadiyat Island, which already houses the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
“It is truly thrilling to see this project enter into this new phase,” Gehry said. “I hope that this building is embraced by the people of the UAE and that this work will endure as a landmark for the country for many years to come.”
Images: Guggenheim
