Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces Key Events and Exhibition Schedule for 2026-2027 Season

ABU DHABI, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Media Office has announced the 2026-2027 programming for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a museum situated in the Saadiyat Cultural District of the capital city, which spans millennia and continents.

This season will showcase the rich sensory experiences offered by the Indian Ocean, efforts to protect cultural heritage in times of instability and risk, and outstanding contemporary artistic expressions from the Gulf region, including the UAE, and countries like India.

Exploring cultural exchange, heritage protection, and contemporary art around the Indian Ocean, the program highlights human connections from multiple perspectives.

Four exhibitions will be presented sequentially, beginning with the new exhibition at the Children's Museum, "A Board Game Adventure."

"Spices and Wonders: Sailing the Indian Ocean" will explore the history of maritime trade and cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean.

The 6th edition of "Art Here 2026" and the Richard Mille Art Prize will focus on contemporary artists from the Gulf countries, including the UAE, and India.

"Living Legacies. Protecting Heritage. Building Hope" will be held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of ALIPH's founding.

Furthermore, this season will delve into how human history has been interconnected through archaeological discoveries, stories of maritime trade, heritage protection initiatives, and the voices of contemporary artists. These exhibitions reflect the Louvre Abu Dhabi's philosophy of focusing on shared human narratives to deepen universal understanding.

<Exhibition Schedule and Overview>

July 18, 2026 – April 2027

New exhibition at the Children's Museum: "A Board Game Adventure"

Targeted at young visitors, this exhibition introduces the appeal of board games, cherished across cultures and eras, as tools for fostering imagination, social connection, and learning. Featuring approximately 30 items, including loans from the Louvre Abu Dhabi's collection as well as regional and international loans, the exhibition traces the evolution of games such as chess, carrom, ludo, and mancala, incorporating early examples from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The exhibition is curated by Amina Harssash, Head of Interpretation and Creative Content, and Orlane Lehouvre, Officer in the same department, at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

October 14, 2026 – February 14, 2027

"Spices and Wonders: Sailing the Indian Ocean"

This exhibition, held in partnership with the Musée Guimet, France's National Museum of Asian Arts, traces maritime trade routes from antiquity to the 17th century, showcasing the history of trade, migration, and cultural exchange that connected Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to South and Southeast Asia via the Indian Ocean, through displays of spices, textiles, ceramics, and other precious cargo. The second iteration of this traveling exhibition will be held at the Musée Guimet from May 12 to September 6, 2027. It is curated by Dr. Guillemette Andreu, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Claire Bessède, Curator of the Chinese Ceramics Collection at the Musée Guimet, National Museum of Asian Arts, Paris, with support from Dr. Andrea Rovatti, Senior Curatorial Assistant at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Dr. Lucie Chopard, Curatorial Assistant at France Muséums, and Fakhera Al Kindy, Senior Curatorial Assistant at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The second edition of the traveling exhibition will be held at the Musée Guimet from May 12 to September 6, 2027.

6th Edition of "Art Here 2026" Exhibition and the Richard Mille Art Prize

This exhibition, held in partnership with Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Richard Mille, with the theme "Confluences," invited submissions from contemporary artists from the Gulf countries, including the UAE (nationals and residents), and contemporary artists from India (nationals only). It explores how interconnected histories, cultures, and movements, particularly exchanges across the Indian Ocean, continue to shape identities, communities, and daily life. Works by the shortlisted artists will be exhibited in "Art Here 2026" starting November 2026, and the winner of the Richard Mille Art Prize will be announced at a later date.

"Art Here 2026" is curated by Dr. Kamini Sawhney, Founding Director of the Museum of Art and Photography (MAP), one of the early digital art and photography museums in India, located in Bengaluru.

November 23, 2026 – April 25, 2027

"Living Legacies. Protecting Heritage. Building Hope."

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the founding of ALIPH (International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Zones), this exhibition, co-organized by the Louvre Abu Dhabi and ALIPH, showcases the efforts of people living in some of the world's most challenging environments to protect, restore, and pass on their cultural heritage to future generations. The exhibition will feature artifacts loaned from international cultural institutions and ALIPH's grant recipient partners, guiding visitors through a multisensory and immersive experience using video projections and testimonies. It is curated by Dr. Magdalena Zaborowska, Senior Curator at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Dr. Sandra Bialystok and Dr. Bastien Varoutsikos from the ALIPH Foundation, with support from Amarilis Maria Georges, Senior Curatorial Assistant at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Guillemette Andreu, Director of Science, Curatorship, and Collections Management at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, stated: "Continuing the Louvre Abu Dhabi's mission to build bridges between cultures, the 2026-2027 program delves deeply into the rich history of diversity and exchange. Each exhibition offers a new perspective on the connections and universal common language that shape our world, and is designed for visitors of all ages in close collaboration with our esteemed partners. We invite everyone to explore the importance of cultural heritage, art, and human ingenuity, from early material culture to contemporary commissions."

Ramya Al Nuaimi, Director of Development, Marketing, and Communications at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, stated: "The Louvre Abu Dhabi's upcoming season invites visitors on a journey across cultures, histories, and ideas, connecting the world through art. The museum continues to develop as a cultural platform that fosters dialogue, exchange, and discovery on a global scale. Through collaboration with international partners and contemporary creators, this program reflects Abu Dhabi's ambition to build a dynamic cultural ecosystem that leads with culture, nurtures creativity, inspires future generations, and connects with the world."

<Cultural and Educational Programs>

In addition to these exhibitions, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will host a diverse range of cultural and educational programs to deepen understanding of the exhibited works and enrich the visitor experience. Rooted in learning inspired by the artworks, these programs draw directly from the museum's collection and exhibitions, encouraging close observation, meaning-making, and dialogue.

Each exhibition will feature multilingual catalogs, expert-led guided tours, podcast episodes, learning trails designed for children and families, workbooks exploring materiality and heritage protection, and weekly workshops for adults. Existing initiatives such as "Book and Easel," "Drawing at the Museum," "Quantum Dome Project," and "Art in Scents" will continue, offering creative exploration and multisensory experiences. Visitors can also experience "We Are Not Alone," an audio tour under the museum's dome created in collaboration with international artists and offered in multiple languages, which fosters a closer connection with the space and its surroundings.

Digital content, including recorded talks and podcasts, will extend access to the museum's ideas and works to those outside the gallery, bringing the collection and the Louvre Abu Dhabi closer to more people, regardless of location. These initiatives position the 2026-2027 season as a celebration of creativity, cultural exchange, and artistic exploration.

About the Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, a museum located in the Saadiyat Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, showcases universal stories that transcend cultures, civilizations, and time. Since its opening in 2017, the museum has offered experiences for a diverse audience through its collection, special exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events, serving as a space for promoting global cultural dialogue.