What to Expect at the Louvre Abu Dhabi – Complete 2023 Visitors Guide

Abu Dhabi continues to strive toward being seen as the cultural centre of the Middle East.  Opened in November 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has quickly moved to the top of many international visitors’ “must-see” list when stopping in the UAE. 

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Visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi Planning Tips

• The Louvre Abu Dhabi museum is open six days a week from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM on Weekdays and 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM on weekends.
• The building, including access to the restaurants and the Dome, is open now until midnight, last entry 11:00 PM.
• All venues are closed on a Monday.
• Hours remain unchanged for Ramadan.
• In line with government guidelines, visitors no longer require a “Green pass” on the Alhosn app, nor any COVID-related restrictions.
• Children under 18 years old are now FREE with an adult.
• All under 13’s must be accompanied by an adult.
• In advance of your visit, you can download a museum audio guide through a free app on your mobile – Google Play or App Store.
• Bring your own headphones to follow the audio guide on your phone.
• The grab-and-go food outlet, museum café, rooftop lounge, and fine dining restaurant have all re-opened.

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What To Expect At The Louvre Abu Dhabi

A cultural masterpiece simply not to be missed on your UAE itinerary, the Louvre Abu Dhabi opened to the public in November 2017. The building alone is one of the city’s most incredible landmarks.

The Louvre is one of many ambitious projects set to transform this Middle East city. Marked by its giant metallic domed roof, it is a distinctly modern, eye-catching, and intriguing building.

Describing itself as an art and humanitarian museum, your journey through the Louvre Abu Dhabi begins in the Great Vestibule.  From here, you are then walked through numbered galleries covering over 9,200 sqm. 

Each transports you through different periods of human history, telling its own story that links smoothly to the next. From the first villagers, the great civilisations and empires, the impact of religion, then the growth of trade routes, wealth, worldly perspective, and modern art.

You can take the galleries at entirely your own pace, following along with the written commentary (each piece is described in English, French, and Arabic). Alternatively, use the audio guides on the museum app in your chosen language for a more detailed description.

The building itself is as much an artwork as the gallery displays.  Light and water interplay under the huge domed roof where your journey through time ends in the magnificent terraces.  Whether intentional or not – the metal roof groans and creeks in a hauntingly beautiful way, only adding to the magic of the experience.

After your journey through the main galleries, there is a special exhibit gallery, a children’s museum, an auditorium, a boutique, and an eatery area. 

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Louvre Abu Dhabi Children’s Museum

There is a Louvre Abu Dhabi Children’s Museum separate from the main museum complex that you will come to at the end of your self-guided tour. Designed for 6 to 10-year-olds, it includes additional interactive displays in English & Arabic.

The current installation running from June 2021 to May 2023 is Emotions! The New Art of Adventure. It is not a “stop and drop” service; you are expected to join in with your children and enjoy the interactive displays.

Guided Tour for Kids – Kids App Louvre Abu Dhabi

A great new, fun, and accessible way for children around 4 years+ to 12 years old to enjoy the Louvre is with a guided tour through their own tablets.

Available in 6 languages (Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, German, and Hindi), Sophia and Rashid will provide your little ones with an accessible journey through Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Download the App in advance, ready for your Louvre visit with kids App Store | Google Play – and remember your headphones! [NB, we are confirming if this is still on offer in 2023 as it has disappeared from App stores!]

Is Louvre Abu Dhabi good with kids?

As parents ourselves, Louvre Abu Dhabi is not something we’d put on the top of our family-friendly list of attractions in Abu Dhabi, but certainly not one to miss just because you have kids in tow.

You’ll probably not want to stop at every exhibit along the way, but download the guided tour apps for parents and kids and allow more time to visit the Children’s Museum at the end.

Allow plenty of time for exploring the museum’s outside areas, too, and plan a meal stop to keep the little ones happy.

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Opening Hours for the Louvre Abu Dhabi

• Daily 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM
• Last entry 5:30 PM
• Closed Mondays

Admission Pricing For The Louvre Abu Dhabi

• Standard Admission Ticket 63 AED ($17USD)

• Concessions 31.5 AED ($8.50USD) This includes UAE teachers, young adults 13-22 years, UAE military

Complimentary tickets for children under 13, Journalists, disabled, Louvre Art Club Members

Check other special deals for the Louvre including free entrance for taxi drivers and frontline workers here

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Dining at the Louvre Abu Dhabi

There are several dining options to suit different budgets at Louvre Abu Dhabi.

• Aptitude Café Open Daily 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM

• Museum Café 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM (closed Monday)

You can also use the cafe’s “Grab and Go” service (10:00 AM to 6:00 PM) if you’d prefer to sit outside on the terrace and enjoy the waterfront views, or there is a full table service meal café.

The Art Lounge opens for the winter season only but offers one of Abu Dhabi’s most exclusive rooftop experiences.

• 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM Daily (external guests must reserve in advance if arriving after 6:30 PM)

Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi Restaurant. This Parisian Brasserie brings a more formal fine dining experience to the Louvre.

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday:12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
• Thursday & Friday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 AM
• Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi is closed on Mondays
• Dress code casual chic (no trainers or shorts)
• Booking in advance is highly recommended

The Art Lounge and Fouquet’s are accessible via gate 2 after museum closing hours.

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Kayaking at Louvre Abu Dhabi

An incredible add-on experience to your Louvre visit is to take a kayak tour through the waterways beneath the museum roof. Take on a new perspective of this incredible building, and learn more about the architecture and marine life.

Run by the experienced team at Sea Hawk, the tours last for 60-minutes and cost 126 AED.

• You can find more kayaking tours in Abu Dhabi offered by Sea Hawk over here.

Further Tips For Visiting the Louvre Abu Dhabi

• Due to the temperature control needed inside the museum, even in the peak of summer, you will probably want a light jacket or scarf/wrap with you to keep warm – see more dress code advice for Abu Dhabi here!

• You could cover most of the museum in one hour moving at pace, but including a café lunch stop and time to admire the outside areas and gift shop, allow yourself 2.5 to 3 hours even for the mild enthusiast.

• Take careful note that the museum is always shut on a Monday!

• There are plenty of seats dotted between the galleries for those that feel they need a rest, but we always find the toilets seem to be few and far between; plan accordingly!

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How to Get to the Louvre From Abu Dhabi

The Louvre sits on Saadiyat Island, which is only a stone’s through away from the main Abu Dhabi island – in fact, you may not even notice as you cross around the city how many waterways and bridges there are!

• There is free covered parking on site as well as a paid valet service.
• Taxies are plentiful to and from the venue.  If you are seeking a taxi between the Louvre and the city’s other main cultural attraction, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque you can expect this to cost about 50 AED.
• Public Bus Route 94 can be taken from the central bus station, next to Al Wadha Mall.
• The Louvre is included on the Big Bus Hop-on-hop-off Abu Dhabi Green Route.

You can easily reach Saadiyat Island from all other parts of the city, though the closest places to stay are the resorts actually on Saadiyat Island. Try:

• The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
• Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas
• Saadiyat Rotana Resort& Villas
• Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
• Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort

Note none of these resorts is within easy walking distance of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. You will still be relying on taxis, and other transport as the Louvre remains a standalone building on Saadiyat Island.

Following the E12 highway along the city’s outer islands, you are only 15 minutes from Yas Island with its multiple theme parks, entertainment, and hotel plaza. The airport is about 25 minutes away – it is possible to squeeze a visit in during an airport layover.

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How To Get From Dubai To The Louvre Abu Dhabi

If you’re staying in Dubai, you can visit the Louvre in Abu Dhabi as a day trip.

There is a new service called the Cultural Express which can transport visitors for FREE from Dubai to two major cultural attractions in Abu Dhabi, the Louvre and Qasr Al Watan – The Presidential Palace.

• Learn more about the Cultural Express service and timetable here

If you are self-driving in the UAE, take the E11/E10 for approximately 1 hour from Downtown Dubai, then take the E12/Yas Island exit. Follow the signs from the E12.

• We have more on how to get between Abu Dhabi and Dubai here.

If you would prefer not to drive, here are some tour companies that offer Dubai to Abu Dhabi day trips, including the Louvre:

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What Else Is There To See And Do On Saadiyat Island?

The Saadiyat Island Cultural District is an ambitious project.  The original master plan included a Guggenheim Museum and the Zayed National Museum, as well as a Maritime Museum and a Performing Arts Centre with the opera house. 

Various setbacks saw the Louvre opening pushed back by several years, and other projects remain on pause or have been delayed by many years.

Manarat Al Saadiyat was the first cultural offering to open on the island and included a display of the master project of what was to come and many temporary exhibits.  It is still a culture and arts centre and holds many workshops, performances, and film viewings.

What you will find on Saadiyat Island is a string of luxury beachside resorts along some of the most beautiful soft white sands of the Arabian Gulf. Soul Beach and MamsahAl Saadiyat are popular spots to enjoy the sun in Abu Dhabi after a morning at the museum, or why not try an afternoon at one of Abu Dhabi’s luxury beach clubs that lines the shores of Saadiyat Beach?

Jubail Mangrove Park

Another must-see attraction near Saadiyat Island that pairs perfectly with a day trip to the Louvre is Jubail Mangrove Park.

Situated on adjacent Jubail Island, explore the wonderful natural mangroves along the serene boardwalk paths.

Best seen at high tide and in the cooler months – though open year-round – you may want to check your tide times in advance when planning a full day out on Saadiyat/Jubail islands.

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