To cater to the demand, Louvre management said 1,000 more tickets will be available on the day at the museum's entrance.
Abu Dhabi - According to the museum's helpline, around 4,000 tickets have already been bought online for the much-anticipated opening.
Published: Tue 7 Nov 2017, 5:12 PM
Come 11/11, the world will get to 'see humanity in a new light'! After more than a decade of waiting, when Louvre Abu Dhabi finally opens its doors to public on November 11, the day will go down in history as the capital city's gleaming tribute to the evolution of art spanning the entirety of human life.
Rising from the sandy shores of Saadiyat Island, and housed under the 'rain of light dome', the Arab world's own Louvre will entice and inspire generations of art lovers, much like the famed Mona Lisa preserved inside a climate-controlled, bulletproof glass frame at the original Musee du Louvre in Paris, France.
It is not just a museum, but a symbol of peace
As the countdown begins, with just four days to go for the world to catch its first glimpse of Louvre Abu Dhabi, online entry tickets are already sold out.
According to the museum's helpline, around 4,000 tickets have already been bought online for the much-anticipated opening.
To cater to the demand, Louvre management said 1,000 more tickets will be available on the day at the museum's entrance.
Louvre Abu Dhabi: From dream to reality
Abu Dhabi residents who have seen the making of the spectacular structure that appears like a floating galaxy on the shores of Gulf waters are eager to step into the 'universal museum' in their hometown.
"I cannot wait to get in to the museum. It will be like a moment I have waited forever," said long-time Abu Dhabi resident Claire Richard from Australia.
Resident artist couple B'lu and Ashvin said it was special to watch Louvre rise right in front of their eyes as they drove past the Saadiyat each time.
Top 10 masterpieces to look out for at Louvre Abu Dhabi
"We live just 15 minutes away from Louvre. When they first lit the roof during this Ramadan, it was simply spectacular - like a new moon rising from the ocean," said B'lu.
Sven Hagenberg from Germany said he would definitely visit Louvre Abu Dhabi. "I am looking forward to it. I think it is a great opportunity for Abu Dhabi to present its soft power," said Hagenberg.
Grand opening
Emmanuel Macron, President of France, and a host of VIPs will be present for the museum's official inauguration on November 8.
UAE royals visit Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island
The opening of Louvre is going to be a grand affair, with four days of celebrations. The headline artists include Ibrahim Maalouf, Fatoumata Diawara, Matthieu Chedid and Toto la Momposina. Tickets for the opening show by Chedid on November 11 and Momposina on November 13 are already sold out, according to ticketing staff.
On the opening day on November 11, a dramatic light and video theatre performance by French pyrotechnic wizards, Group F, will enthrall visitors, in addition to an array of performances by local artists.
A museum city in the sea
The Louvre Abu Dhabi showcases 600 priceless pieces of art housed in its 23 galleries and 12 chapters. The art pieces are loaned from the top 13 French museums. Half of the collection will be from the museum's permanent collection.
The museum is also displaying more than 250 works of art from the Emirati collection, including Edouard Manet's "The Gypsy" and works by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian and Turkey's Osman Hamdi Bey.
The museum design by France's Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel conjures up the image of an Arab medina. A silver-toned dome with perforated arabesque patterns appears to float over the white museum galleries, creating what Nouvel describes as a "rain of light".
To reach the ground, each ray of light must cross eight layers of perforations, creating a constantly shifting pattern that mimics the shadows cast by palm trees or the roof of a traditional Arab market.
What you should know when you visit Louvre Abu Dhabi
> 600 priceless pieces of art housed in 23 galleries and 12 chapters
> Among the exhibits are a sixth-century copy of the Holy Quran, a Gothic Bible and a Yemeni Torah facing each other, open at verses carrying the same message
> Two-thirds of the museum is covered by a dome, 180 metres in diameter
> The dome is pierced with 7,850 star-like openings formed by the layering of the building's structure
> The dome is intended to resemble silver lace
> Tickets are priced at Dh60
> Visitors aged between 13 and 22 years will pay Dh30
> Children below 13 enter free
> Valet parking available
Museum hours:
>Saturdays to Wednesdays: 10am to 8pm
>Thursdays to Fridays: 10am to 10pm
>Mondays: Closed
anjana@khaleejtimes.com
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