Louvre Abu Dhabi expands collection from 600 to over 6,000 works

Louvre Abu Dhabi published an illustrated book titled Birth of a Collection to document the growth of its permanent holdings since the museum opened in 2017.

The museum co-published the volume with the Italian publisher Skira. The book features 240 objects and contributions from 42 curators, historians, and scholars to explain how the institution has built its collection over the last decade. The museum expanded its holdings from approximately 600 works to more than 6,000.

While the museum initially relied on loans from French institutions to shape its galleries, museum-owned works now represent 56.8% of the permanent-gallery displays. This shift allows the museum to shape its own narrative and increase its activity as an international lender to other cultural institutions. The publication organizes art into four chronological periods: the Ancient World, Medieval World, Early Modern World, and Modern and Contemporary World.

This structure avoids separating traditions by nationality to focus on shared human history and cultural exchanges. The book includes diverse items such as a bronze Winged Dragon from ancient China and a Male Praying Figure from ancient Sumer. The museum released the book in Arabic, English, and French to reach different audiences and support art publishing in the United Arab Emirates. The museum continues to use its collection to explore historical connections between different civilizations through provenance and artistic exchange.