Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to Open on 11 December 2026

ABU DHABI, UAE – The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has confirmed that Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will officially open to the public on 11 December 2026, marking a major milestone for the emirate's cultural landscape and the completion of another flagship institution within the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Designed to become one of the world's leading destinations for modern and contemporary art, the museum will present a global collection spanning more than six decades of artistic practice while strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as an international cultural capital.

A Global Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has been conceived as a platform for cultural dialogue, bringing together diverse artistic perspectives from across geographies and generations.

The museum will showcase an international collection of more than 970 artworks created by 429 artists from over 70 countries, with a particular emphasis on West Asia and the wider region. The collection focuses on works produced from the 1960s to the present, covering a broad range of artistic disciplines including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, moving image and new media.

Alongside its permanent collection, the museum will host special exhibitions exploring global developments in modern and contemporary art, offering visitors new perspectives on artistic movements and cultural exchange.

Designed as an open and immersive experience, the museum places visitors at the centre of interconnected narratives spanning time, place and theme.

Frank Gehry's Largest Guggenheim

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi draws inspiration from the UAE's architectural heritage while embracing a contemporary design language.

The building's distinctive asymmetric cones are inspired by traditional Emirati wind towers, serving as entrances and exterior exhibition spaces while providing natural ventilation and shade to improve energy efficiency.

Rising to 88 metres, the landmark features 11,600 square metres of interior gallery space and 23,000 square metres of outdoor exhibition areas within a total built-up area of 80,000 square metres, making it the largest Guggenheim museum in the world.

The museum includes 28 galleries with 12,080 square metres of interior exhibition space, complemented by outdoor plazas, terraces and atriums designed to accommodate large-scale installations and public programming.

A Landmark Within Saadiyat Cultural District

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi joins the growing portfolio of internationally recognised cultural institutions within the Saadiyat Cultural District on Saadiyat Island.

The district is already home to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Abrahamic Family House and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, with Zayed National Museum also scheduled to open later this year.

The museum is the result of a collaboration between DCT Abu Dhabi and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, which operates the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

With its combination of world-class architecture, international collections and regional focus, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is set to become one of the Middle East's most significant cultural destinations when it opens on 11 December 2026.