Louvre Abu Dhabi opens up dome area to visitors for free every week

Visitors can watch the sunset from the outdoor plaza under the dome every Wednesday

Louvre Abu Dhabi will be opening its dome area to visitors for free every Wednesday. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s dome is the museum’s most striking architectural feature, and starting this week, visitors can get free access to it every Wednesday evening.

From 6.30pm to 9pm on Wednesdays, the outdoor plaza underneath the dome will be open to visitors with no reservations or tickets needed.

The area houses a few contemporary art pieces, including Jenny Holzer's permanent installation of marble panels with Sumerian-Akkadian texts and Giuseppe Penone's Germination, which includes the Leaves of Light sculpture, a tree with reflective leaves.

The museum’s dome, along with the building, has been designed by famed French architect Jean Nouvel. The steel latticed dome lets dappled light hit the walkways of the building’s exterior, which also looks out over the water.

Entry also allows access to the Art Lounge, Fouquet’s brasserie and the museum boutique.

The move to open up the area to the public is part of Louvre Abu Dhabi's drive to transform itself into a more "social space", as the museum's director Manuel Rabate told The National in 2019.

In the past few years, the museum has added more attractions to its offerings beyond art, including night kayaking tours and additional restaurants, such as Fouquet’s brassiere.

Last month, it launched twice-weekly yoga sessions under the dome, priced at Dh90 per person. The initiative follows a plan set out by the museum last year that aims to promote wellness and address mental health concerns spurred on during the pandemic.

"We can go further in terms of creating wellness within Louvre Abu Dhabi. It can be in mental health, end-of-life or anxiety treatment. There are plenty of ways to consider what we can give. We are actively working to find medical partners to see how we can play our role in the next phase," Rabate told The National in June.

More information is available at louvreabudhabi.ae