Louvre Abu Dhabi Receives French Culture Minister

---

Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), today welcomed Her Excellency Fleur Pellerin, French Minister of Culture and Communication, along with a French delegation, for a visit to Saadiyat. Pellerin's visit to the capital coincides with the opening of Abu Dhabi Art, the leading annual art fair that takes place on Saadiyat, which runs from November 5 - 8, 2014.

The French Minister and delegates were greeted by Ali Al Hammadi, TDIC's CEO, Jean Nouvel, the Pritzker Prize winning architect who designed the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Michel Miraillet, the French Ambassador to the UAE. They were then given a tour of the Louvre Abu Dhabi construction site in the Saadiyat Cultural District, where they witnessed the great strides achieved in the museum's construction including the completion of the dome's structural steel frame. The delegation also viewed the museum's mock-up galleries, which are a testing ground to verify, evaluate and, ultimately, seek approvals for the architectural quality and aesthetics of works for the museum - both internally and externally. 

"We are pleased to welcome Her Excellency Fleur Pellerin and the French delegation to Saadiyat and to brief them on great strives achieved in the development of the Louvre Abu Dhabi," said Al Hammadi.

Designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, Louvre Abu Dhabi will encompass 9,200 square metres of art galleries. The 6,681-square-metre Permanent Gallery will house the museum's permanent collection taking the visitor through a universal journey from the most ancient to contemporary through art works from different civilisations. The Temporary Gallery will be a dedicated space of 2,364 square metres presenting temporary exhibitions of international standards.

Louvre Abu Dhabi, when completed, will be one of the premier cultural institutions located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District. These feature Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi- both also designed by world-renowned Pritzker-prize winning architects.