Abu Dhabi invests into an impressive billions-of-dollars Cultural District with 4 major museums and several art galleries and local museums on the yet to be developed Saadiyat Island. Of these announced museum is the largest Guggenheim Museum in the world to date, designed by Frank Gehry (expected completion date 2012), a performing arts center designed by Zaha Hadid, a classical arts musuem (possibly hosting some of the art collection of the Louvre museum) designed by Jean Nouvel, and a maritime museum designed by Tadao Ando. The project was publicly announced through an exhibition that opened in the Abu Dhabi Palace hotel on the 31st of January 2007.
More information about the Saadiyat Island Cultural District Masterplan project can be found on the following sites:
www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/arts/design/04ouro.html
www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/arts/design/01isla.html?pagew...
www.nytimes.com/2007/03/07/arts/design/07louv.html?ex=1...
Qatar invests in two new museums designed by renown architects: a museum of Islamic art (designed by Chinese/American architect, I.M. Pei) and a museum of photography (designed by Spanish arcitect, Santiago Calatrava).
