On an island named for happiness, Abu Dhabi has assembled a district of museums by Jean Nouvel, Foster + Partners and, soon, Frank Gehry. Two days between Saadiyat's Cultural District and the white domes of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
In this story · 4 sections
Saadiyat Island – the island of happiness – lies just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, five minutes' drive from downtown, twenty from the airport and about an hour from Dubai. It is being developed as the emirate's cultural centre, and its western end is given over to the Saadiyat Cultural District, a cluster of museums and cultural institutions that has grown remarkably fast. Together with the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque on the main island, it makes Abu Dhabi a serious destination for anyone interested in art and architecture.
01Day one, morning: the Louvre Abu Dhabi
Start at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The idea was put to the French government in 2005, and an agreement signed in March 2007 allows the museum to use the Louvre's name until 2047; the Louvre calls it France's largest cultural project abroad. Abu Dhabi chose Jean Nouvel, architect of the Arab World Institute in Paris, and the museum opened in 2017 as the largest art museum on the Arabian Peninsula. Its galleries set works from around the world side by side, with the stated aim of bridging Eastern and Western art. By 2019 it had already welcomed two million visitors, making it the most visited museum in the Arab world.
The project was not without controversy: when it was revealed in 2006, French curators protested in print and by petition. Today the building, with its galleries gathered beneath a vast dome, is the district's anchor. Allow at least half a day.
02Day one, afternoon: the new museums
The district has filled out quickly. The Abrahamic Family House opened in 2023, the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation in March 2024 and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, an immersive digital art space, in April 2025. In November 2025 the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, designed by Mecanoo, opened its doors, followed in December by the Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners. Manarat Al Saadiyat hosts exhibitions. Choose two or three for the afternoon rather than trying to see everything.
Still to come is the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry and planned to be the largest of all the Guggenheim museums. Announced in 2006 and long delayed, it is expected to open on 11 December 2026, with a collection focused on modern and contemporary art from West Asia, North Africa and South Asia.
03Day two: the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
On the second day, drive to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the UAE. Built between 1994 and 2007 and inaugurated in December 2007, it was conceived by the country's founding president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world; he is buried in its courtyard. The design, led by the Syrian architect Youssef Abdelke, draws on the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore and on Persian, Mughal and Moorish traditions.
Its numbers are extraordinary: 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns, chandeliers gilded with 24-carat gold and the world's largest hand-knotted carpet in the main prayer hall. The building's axis is turned about 12 degrees south of west to face Mecca. Visit outside prayer times, dress modestly – women cover their hair – and stay until the evening light falls on the white marble.
04Planning
Come between autumn and spring. Saadiyat also has beaches and the marina district, home to New York University Abu Dhabi since 2014. For more, see our destinations, the Metro Mode home page and our list of hotels worth a single night.