19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi's exhibitions for the next year have been revealed
The new cultural season is here and Louvre Abu Dhabi isn't pulling any punches.
The museum has just revealed its full 2025–2026 programme – and it's a knockout. We're talking dynasties, darkness, dancing light and a certain Spanish artist who needs no introduction.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is diving headfirst into global history and contemporary creativity, showcasing everything from medieval powerhouses to modern masters. With heavyweight partnerships including Musée du Louvre, Musée national Picasso-Paris and Richard Mille, this next chapter promises art, innovation and dazzling cross-cultural storytelling.
Here's your exclusive sneak peek into the season:
Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire
Sept 17, 2025 – Jan 25, 2026
The season kicks off in glorious style with a deep dive into the mighty Mamluk Sultanate – a dynasty that ruled swathes of the Islamic world for over 250 years. Think Egypt, the Levant, parts of Turkey and Saudi Arabia's holy sites – all under one powerful banner.
Expect intricate craftsmanship, epic diplomacy and a visual journey through a golden age of Islamic art. Centrepieces include Reception of a Venetian Delegation by the Mamluk Governor of Damascus and the jaw-dropping Baptistery of Saint Louis. This exhibition brings together masterpieces from Musée du Louvre and Louvre Abu Dhabi's own collection.
Art Here 2025 and Richard Mille Art Prize
Oct 8 – Dec 28, 2025
Back for its fifth edition, Art Here is getting even bolder. Curated by Swiss-Japanese powerhouse Sophie Mayuko Arni, this year's theme is Shadows, drawing on the interplay between light and darkness – with nods to both Japanese and Arabian Gulf traditions.
Expect massive, immersive works from artists based in the GCC, MENA and Japan, with one lucky creative scooping the coveted Richard Mille Art Prize. It's big. It's bright. And it's brimming with meaning.
Picasso, the Figure
Jan 19 – May 31, 2026
Yes, that Picasso. This huge exhibition zooms in on the Spanish icon's lifelong obsession with the human figure – from mythological musings to surrealist contortions. Featuring more than just canvases, the show will include sculpture, drawings and rarely seen masterpieces.
Standouts include Woman with a Mandolin (1911), Portrait of a Seated Woman (Olga) (1923) and Woman Sitting in Front of the Window (1937), all exploring how Picasso warped, twisted and reinvented the human form.
But that's not all. The museum is set to host a range of cultural and educational events alongside the headline exhibitions, plus a new immersive experience that hasn't yet been revealed (but our curiosity is thoroughly piqued).
From centuries-old empires to avant-garde experiments, Louvre Abu Dhabi's 2025–2026 season is shaping up to be its most ambitious yet. Whether you're into ancient artefacts or modern masterpieces, there's something here that'll absolutely blow your artistic mind.
From Dhs65. Open Tues-Thu, 10am-6:30pm (exhibition), Fri-Sun, 10am-8:30pm. Closed on Mon. Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island, .
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