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.

Read more
Hints: View this page full screen. Skip to the next and previous photo by typing j/k or ←/→.

Most Recent

  • Jonathan Drake / Reuters
    • In Focus
    • 1:27 PM ET
    • 24 Photos

    Photos: Pet Rescues in the Wake of Hurricane Florence

    Dogs, cats, and other animals that were left behind, or caught in the storm, are being rescued and cared for by owners, neighbors, and first responders.

  • Zhang Zhou / VCG via Getty
    • In Focus
    • Sep 17, 2018
    • 32 Photos

    Photos: The Aftermath of Super Typhoon Mangkhut

    Images of the immediate effects of the monster storm in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and parts of southeastern China

  • Steve Helber / AP
    • In Focus
    • Sep 16, 2018
    • 33 Photos

    Photos: The Aftermath of Hurricane Florence

    Even though Florence has been downgraded to a tropical depression, much more rainfall and flooding have been predicted for already hard-hit regions.

  • Anupam Nath / AP
    • In Focus
    • Sep 14, 2018
    • 35 Photos

    Photos of the Week: Robotic Arms, Sheepdog Trials, Giant Carrot

    Hurricane Florence reaches the Carolinas, Vostok 2018 military exercises in Siberia, a dinosaur in North Korea, scenes from New York Fashion Week, and much more

Most Popular on The Atlantic

  1. A Warning From Europe: The Worst Is Yet to Come
  2. I Believe Her
  3. American Weirdness: Observations From an Expat
  4. The GOP Response to the Kavanaugh Allegations Sends an Unmistakable Message to Women
  5. American Democracy Is in Crisis
  6. The Tiny Blond Bible Teacher Taking on the Evangelical Political Machine
  7. How to Live Better, According to Nietzsche
  8. Colorado’s Charismatic Governor Is Pondering a Run for President
  9. The Coddling of the American Mind ‘Is Speeding Up’
  10. Brett Kavanaugh and the Revealing Logic of ‘Boys Will Be Boys’
Back to Top