Louvre Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Mubadala Investment Company, will open its doors to its latest interactive exhibition, Picturing the Cosmos. Inspired by the human fascination of the cosmos and its intensity, children will embark on an educational, entertaining and inspiring adventure to explore celestial space through its art representations, across time and cultures.
Set to open to the public on 20 July and running until June 2025, Picturing the Cosmos is held in collaboration with the UAE Space Agency, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and sponsored by Mubadala as presenting partner.
Presented in an immersive and gamified display, the interactive exhibition allows young visitors to use their creativity skills to become space explorers, just like Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi. Throughout the exhibition, children will discover the wonders of cosmos by traveling through different interactive areas across three levels at the Children’s Museum. Guided by the characters Mansour and Shamma, children will be brought on a learning journey throughout the digital exhibit, with the opportunity to learn more about art.
Discovering the depth of the cosmos, one step at a time, the exhibition will also address questions regarding humans’ interest of cosmos and how the sky has been a source of inspiration and imagination throughout various periods.
Reflecting the narrative of Louvre Abu Dhabi as a universal museum, the exhibition will include 25 artworks from different cultures and civilisations such as the Astrolabe from Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Lunar meteorite from Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum and the Astronaut Suit from the UAE Space Agency. The exhibition will run on the floors, covering the observation of the sky; the planets and the constellations from Earth; space navigation in a spaceship and Mars exploration.
With the support of France Museums, the cultural consultancy service, Louvre Abu Dhabi received exceptional loans from Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Musée Guimet, and Centre Pompidou. The museum has also received loans from Emirati partners, including Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT – Abu Dhabi), the UAE Space Agency and Sharjah Museums Authority.
His Excellency Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, said: "Our collaboration with Louvre Abu Dhabi mirrors our commitment to inspire the next generation about the endless possibilities of space exploration. Over the years, our journey into space has become a testament to human ambition, innovation, and our relentless pursuit of knowledge. By intertwining space exploration with art and history, this exhibition provides a unique platform to ignite young minds' curiosity and inspire them to dream big. We hope that it fascinates and nurtures the future generation of Emirati astronomers, engineers, and astronauts who will continue the UAE's proud legacy in space exploration."
Manuel Rabaté, Director, Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "We are thrilled to announce the launch of Picturing the Cosmos, the inaugural exhibition of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s cultural season. It reflects our long-standing commitment to lifelong learning and providing diverse and novel experiences to our visitors, across all ages and walks of life. Our visitors and community are at the heart of all we do and are pleased to offer a remarkable journey at the Children’s Museum that beckons our young visitors to explore the wonders of space and find inspiration."
Ugo Bertoni, Director for External Affairs, Outreach and Cultural Engagement, Louvre Abu Dhabi said: “Louvre Abu Dhabi Children Museum is an educational place to inspire creativity, curiosity, and learning. With the launch of Picturing the Cosmos, we are proud to have a unique exhibition that provides young minds with opportunities to discover, imagine, and make sense of the world around them based on observation of artworks and interactive experiences. Through this exhibition, we are building a bridge between the museum, art history, science and the UAE vision of space exploration.”
Amine Kharchach, Interpretation & Creative Content Section Head, Louvre Abu Dhabi said: “By using immersive design and gamification in our approach, we’re creating a highly engaging experience, allowing our young visitors to discover the artworks and explore the topic of space and cosmos in an unprecedented way. We have thoroughly enjoyed curating this exhibition, and we are eager to see children and their families enjoy it.”
Entry to Louvre Abu Dhabi is free of charge for visitors aged 18 and under. Only accompanying adults above 18 will need to purchase museum tickets for the whole family to access all Louvre Abu Dhabi galleries and exhibitions. Access to the Children’s Museum is included in the cost of admission.
The Children’s Museum is an ongoing exhibition platform and extension of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s educational programming. Since opening in 2017, it has welcomed children and families with four exhibitions: Travelling Shapes and Colours (2017 –2018), Animals, Between Real and Imaginary (2018 –2019), A Costume Adventure (2019 –2020) and Emotions! A New Adventure (2021-2022).
