Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to open on 11 December 2026

International

New museum will strengthen Saadiyat Cultural District as a global arts destination

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced that Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will officially open on 11 December 2026. Dedicated to modern and contemporary art, the museum is expected to become one of the world's most significant new cultural institutions while reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a global centre for the arts.

Located on Saadiyat Island, the museum will showcase art from the 1960s to the present, highlighting diverse artistic voices from the Middle East and around the world. It aims to foster cultural exchange, dialogue and new perspectives through an internationally focused collection.

New landmark for Saadiyat Cultural District

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will join Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi within the Saadiyat Cultural District, creating one of the world's largest concentrations of cultural institutions.

The museum is part of the Guggenheim network alongside New York, Venice and Bilbao, while establishing its own identity inspired by the cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates.

The museum was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry and features 30 galleries arranged around a central atrium. Ten sculptural cones, reaching up to 88 metres in height, provide natural ventilation and define the building's distinctive skyline.

The landmark offers 11,600 square metres of indoor gallery space and 23,000 square metres of outdoor exhibition areas, creating a major venue for large-scale contemporary art.

A global collection with regional roots

Since 2009, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has been building a collection of modern and contemporary art that reflects both regional creativity and global artistic developments.

Rather than following a traditional chronological approach, the museum will present exhibitions organised around themes such as abstraction, popular culture, land, language and storytelling, encouraging visitors to explore connections across cultures, generations and artistic practices.

Further details about the museum's collection, exhibitions and public programmes will be announced in the coming months.