A Landmark Museum Rooted in the United Arab Emirates and Shaping Global Artistic Dialogue
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Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will connect cultures, inspire people, and celebrate art from the 1960s to the present
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The museum brings new perspectives to modern and contemporary art, shining a light on artists from around the world
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Once open, the museum will reinforce its status as one of the most significant museum developments globally
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced that Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will open its doors on December 11, 2026, further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global capital for the arts.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a museum of modern and contemporary art and will be a space for encounter and exchange, promoting a more connected and diverse global community through art. The museum has a unique identity and vision, shaped by Abu Dhabi’s artistic landscape and designed to reflect the United Arab Emirates’ stories and beyond, encouraging curiosity among younger generations about modern and contemporary art.
The museum joins a growing community of museums and cultural institutions in Saadiyat Cultural District, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, positioning the district as one of the world’s most significant concentrations of cultural institutions. Part of the Guggenheim constellation of museums in New York, Venice, and Bilbao, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi brings a distinct identity shaped by Abu Dhabi’s legacy, in a region that has been at the crossroads of culture and trade for millennia.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a defining moment in our cultural journey. The museum is shaped by the Emirate’s long-held conviction that culture is the most enduring bridge between peoples and a building block for forward-looking societies. It brings new perspectives to modern and contemporary art, shining a light on art from all around the world. As a key element of Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum will create transformative new opportunities for learning, creativity, and cultural exchange, inspiring future generations to explore their own potential. Here, everyone belongs and can see themselves reflected in the stories the museum tells, engaging with ideas and artistic voices from across the world.”
Dr. Mariët Westermann, Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, said: “The Guggenheim Foundation is proud and delighted to be a longstanding partner with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in shaping a museum of contemporary art of magnificent scope and aspiration. The museum’s art collection is uniquely local and global, centered in the region but with works from all continents. Through the many stories it will tell and invite, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be a source of wonder, a hub of connection, and a place of curiosity and joy for people from the United Arab Emirates and the world.”
Envisioned as a platform for dialogue, the museum brings together diverse perspectives across geographies and generations through modern and contemporary art. Spanning a wide range of artistic media including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, moving image, and new media, the museum presents art as a dynamic and evolving conversation across time and place.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi reflects Abu Dhabi’s role as a catalyst for artistic innovation and creative production, fostering meaningful connections between artists, ideas, and audiences. Placing the visitor at the center, the museum offers an open, exploratory experience, where each journey unfolds across interconnected narratives of time, place, and theme.
Designed by the late Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Frank Gehry, the museum is located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, a meeting point between land and sea. A rooted architectural landmark, it will offer a new perspective and invite visitors to be part of the curatorial journey of the museum.