More than a decade in the making, the Louvre Abu Dhabi opens

Nested under a dome with geometric arabesque patterns and appearing to float on water, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is now home to Matisse, Mondrian — and George Washington. The abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko hangs a few steps away from Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh and a portrait of George Washington in 12 “chapters”, or galleries, in the Emirati capital. Other galleries are dedicated to artifacts from China, Iraq and DR Congo, among others, aimed at telling the story of the civilisations and religions of the world. The museum expects to welcome around 5,000 visitors in its first days which start with the public opening on November 11, according to Mohammed al-Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Culture and Tourism Authority. “Because this is an international museum, we’re expecting visitors from around the world,” Mubarak said during a media tour ahead of the inauguration ceremony to be held on Wednesday.