Louvre Abu Dhabi to reopen with 3-hour tour

Dubai, Jun 23 (efe-epa).- The Louvre Abu Dhabi will reopen to the public as of Wednesday with strict measures such as limiting the visits to three-hour tours after three months of closure due to the coronavirus, the museum announced on Tuesday.

Visitors will have to purchase the tickets online to avoid gatherings, and should go through thermal scanning upon arrival.

During the visit people have to wear protective face masks and gloves, the museum said.

“We are furthering our commitment to being a mindful museum – a concept that has always been a part of our DNA and is now more urgent than ever before,” Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, the museum said it would continue its many digital programs that have offered access to more content through virtual tours, video, audio, and downloadable activities, an initiative it launched after the coronavirus lockdown.

During lockdown, which began in March, Louvre Abu Dhabi has shared on its website a sci-fi cinematic podcast We Are Not Alone, featuring celebrities such as Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

The museum will be exhibiting the latest international exhibition, The Art of Chivalry between East and West, from July 1 to October 18.

The museum, located in the Saadiyat Island, is one of the few touristic attractions the capital has to offer compared to its fellow Emirati main competitor Dubai.

The ceiling, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel inspired by the Islamic art and local culture, allows beams of light to infiltrate the roof and create the rain of light.

UAE has gradually resumed commercial and cultural activities, but since early July, Abu Dhabi imposed restrictions on the movement of its residents as well as others coming from other emirates to contain the virus.

Thus far, UAE has reported 45,683 coronavirus cases and 305 deaths. EFE-EPA