The central display will be surprisingly concentrated, with relevant and revealing works lining one unique path – the principal route via which visitors will navigate their way through the museum. The journey proceeds chronologically with different civilisations developing in parallel as the visitor moves forwards on a journey through time. This display features four major periods: archaeology and the birth of civilisation; medieval days and the birth of Islam; the Classical period from Humanism to Enlightenment; and modern and contemporary, starting at the end of the 18th century.

In true Enlightenment style, visitors will be invited to study the works for themselves, compare them, and delight in their unique qualities and meanings. A variety of textual and multimedia resources in multiple languages will place the artworks in context, explain where they come from and relate the rich histories of the objects and artworks.

The central display will be complemented by a full programme of temporary exhibitions. These will amplify the message of the museum’s galleries, inviting cultural loan and exchange from institutions all over the world. In addition, a Louvre Abu Dhabi Children’s Museum will ensure that the youngest visitors can explore and discover the Louvre Abu Dhabi collection in full.