Abu Dhabi to Build Gehry-Designed Guggenheim Museum

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the New York-based Guggenheim Foundation to establish a world-class museum devoted to modern and contemporary art. To be called the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (GAD), the museum, designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, will position the emirate as a leading international cultural destination.

At 30,000 square metres, the Abu Dhabi museum will be the only Guggenheim museum in the region and will be larger than any existing Guggenheim worldwide. It is expected that the museum will be constructed within five years.

The museum will form its own major collection of contemporary art and will also exhibit masterworks from the Guggenheim Foundation’s global collections. The museum will be built in the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island – a natural island lying 500 metres offshore the UAE capital which is being transformed into an international tourism destination. The Cultural District will also be home to a national museum, classical art museum, maritime museum, performing arts centre and an expansive arts centre park.

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and member of the Executive Council said, “This is a major step forward in our plans for Saadiyat Island and its Cultural District which will become an international cultural hub for the Middle East on par with the best in the world. The signing also represents a significant development in the creation and nurturing of international cultural ties which we believe will do much to forge greater understanding between all nations.”

Thomas Krens, Director of the Guggenheim Foundation, said the signing reflects the visionary spirit and forward-looking approach that are the Guggenheim’s hallmarks.

“Our commitment to international communication and global cultural exchange - realised through our museums, collections, and programmes - is inclusive. The Guggenheim implicitly regards all contemporary cultures and their traditions as potential partners in the field of aesthetic discourse - we are both respectful of difference and excited by it.

We also believe that the Middle East is one of the world’s most important emerging regions in terms of contemporary culture.

“In Abu Dhabi,” Krens continued, “we have had the good fortune to discover a partner that not only shares our point of view, but expands upon it. The plans for Saadiyat Island and the cultural district, envisioned and developed by the Abu Dhabi Government, are, quite simply, extraordinary. When this comprehensive and inclusive vision is realised, it will set a standard for global culture that will resonate for decades to come.”

According to the MOU, Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which manages the authority’s tourism assets, will own the museum. The Guggenheim Foundation will establish and manage the museum’s programme, which will include collection development, exhibitions and educational initiatives.

The MOU was signed on behalf of Abu Dhabi by His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and TDIC, and Thomas Krens.

“Abu Dhabi’s museum will join a highly exclusive Guggenheim museum network which currently includes New York, Venice in Italy, Bilbao in Spain, Berlin in Germany and Las Vegas,” said HH Sheikh Sultan. “The MOU is testimony to Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become an upscale destination and to ensure that the Abu Dhabi name resonates worldwide.”

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry has been appointed to design the museum. Gehry is the architect of the celebrated Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

“When the museum, made of titanium, glass and limestone, opened in 1997 it was instantly hailed as the most important building of its time,” said HH Sheikh Sultan. “Just as Bilbao established a new level of design excellence, Gehry’s GAD design brief is to push the boundaries of his own architectural practice and set the benchmark for museums in the 21st century.”

Architectural distinction will be a defining feature for all of the major new structures which will comprise Saadiyat Island’s Cultural District.

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