Lift off! Louvre Abu Dhabi launches unique space exhibition for children
- 21 Jul 2023
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Louvre Abu Dhabi launched its latest interactive children’s exhibition Picturing the Cosmos on July 20, in partnership with Mubadala Investment Company and in collaboration with the UAE Space Agency and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. Inspired by the human fascination with the cosmos and the infinity of space, children here can embark on an educational and inspiring adventure to explore the celestial universe through immersive displays and artworks spanning time and cultures.
Running till June 2025, the exhibition allows young visitors to use their creativity to become space explorers, like Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi. Children will discover the wonders of the cosmos by travelling through different interactive areas across the three levels of the Children’s Museum. Guided by the well-loved characters Mansour and Shamma, little ones will be taken on an educational journey, learning more about art and space with the help of their childhood heroes.
The museum’s three floors each cover a different theme: the observation of the sky; the planets and the constellations from Earth; and space navigation and Mars exploration. The exhibition also addresses questions such as ‘Why have humans always been fascinated by the cosmos?’ and ‘How has the sky been a source of inspiration and imagination through ages?’ Reflecting Louvre Abu Dhabi’s mandate as a universal museum, the show displays 25 artworks from different cultures and civilisations, including an astrolabe from the Louvre Abu Dhabi collection, an astronaut suit from UAE Space Agency and the Lunar meteorite, one of the largest pieces of the moon ever to be found, from the collection of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.
With the support of France Museums, for this exhibition Louvre Abu Dhabi has received loans from Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Musee du Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Musee du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Musee Guimet, and Centre Pompidou. Loans from Emirati partners include items from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi), the UAE Space Agency and Sharjah Museums Authority (Sharjah Maritime Museum). 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 Rabate, Director, Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Picturing the Cosmos, the inaugural exhibition of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s cultural season, 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 this remarkable journey at the Children’s Museum will invite our young visitors to find endless inspiration as they explore the wonders of space and art.” Ugo Bertoni, Director for External Affairs, Outreach and Cultural Engagement, Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “Louvre Abu Dhabi Children’s 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 the cosmos in an unprecedented way. We have thoroughly enjoyed curating this exhibition, and we are eager to see children and their families enjoy it.” 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). 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. Created by an agreement between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France, Louvre Abu Dhabi was designed by Jean Nouvel and opened on Saadiyat Island in 2017. The museum is inspired by traditional Islamic architecture and its monumental dome creates a rain of light effect and a social space that strives to bring people together. Louvre Abu Dhabi’s brief is to celebrate the universal creativity of mankind. Its curatorial approach focuses on building understanding across cultures, through stories of human creativity that transcend civilisations, geographies and times. The museum’s permanent collection is supplemented by rotating loans from 13 French partner institutions, regional and international museums.