Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
One of the city’s most iconic museums is becoming a popular hub for music lovers.
Louvre Abu Dhabi is blending art, history, architecture, and now sound, demonstrating how cultural centres can lend themselves to live entertainment performances.
On February 7, MASQUERAVE 3, a late-night electronic music event was staged at the museum park, featuring Adriatique and The Blaze (DJ Set).
The winter season also saw the “Live Music in the Park” being held on Tuesday and Wednesday. These “Music at the Boardwalk” sessions featured local talent performing under the dome or on the promenade.
Shaikha Alzaabi, Acting Cultural Programming Manager at Louvre Abu Dhabi said the museum attracts a broad audience, encourages repeat visits, and strengthens the museum’s role within Abu Dhabi’s growing cultural and entertainment landscape through live performances, cross-cultural collaborations, and genre-spanning concerts.
“Music helps museums tap into new audiences who may not be traditional museum-goers, as it brings the museum experience closer to people through accessible, shared cultural moments,” Alzaabi told Aletihad.
She said the MASQUERAVE event blends music, art and performance in a way that appeals to a diverse audience.
“The genre spans music, immersive digital art, themed masks, and roaming entertainers. Each element is crafted to create a layered, multisensory experience. These components allow guests to engage with the museum in different ways, making the night feel both elevated and accessible,” Alzaabi explained.
“We curate the experiences with inclusivity in mind. As a universal museum, we design different events to offer multiple entry points, whether someone is drawn to the music, the visual environment, the architecture, or simply the social energy.”
She added, “Our architecture, mission and programming philosophy all support this direction. As a universal museum and hub for cultural exchange, we are uniquely positioned to host performances that bring together different cultures, genres and artistic traditions.”
Beyond music, Louvre Abu Dhabi is leveraging technology to transform the way audiences engage with its spaces.
Alzaabi pointed out that immersive projections, dynamic lighting, and atmospheric sound design transform the museum’s architecture into a lively live performance venue.
“By integrating these tools, we are able to reach younger and more diverse communities to expand how people connect with art,” she said.
The museum recently featured Egyptian singer Mohamed Mohsen in December 2025, performing a blend of Arabic melodies inspired by the “Mamluks: Legacy of an Empire” exhibition.
Louvre Abu Dhabi has also served as a backdrop for international movies, with scenes from the Hollywood blockbuster “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” filmed there in 2025.
The production, supported by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission and Creative Media Authority, was shot across Abu Dhabi and featured sights from Saadiyat Island, Yas Island and the city centre.
As museums, festivals and film productions increasingly draw global attention to the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi is emerging not just as a centre for art and heritage, but as a dynamic entertainment destination where culture, performance and storytelling intersect.
