The Opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi

Topped by an enormous signature dome of overlapping geometric lattices that weighs more than 7,500 tons, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, will open to the public this weekend, on November 11, 2017. The new museum will showcase hundreds of works of art from around the world. Back in 2007, the Louvre Museum in Paris signed a $525 million agreement to allow the government of Abu Dhabi to use the “Louvre” name for its new museum for 30 years, and $750 million more for ongoing management advice and assistance. The project, more than a decade in development, drew criticism for the use of migrant workers in its construction, with the history of abuse and exploitation of such workers in that region. Although the architect recently defended the treatment of the workers, and UAE authorities say they have made progress on labor rights, critics maintain that conditions remain appalling.

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