World Art Day falls on April 15 every year, chosen because it marks the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci. UNESCO recognises it as a global celebration of art’s role in human life, and Abu Dhabi is taking that seriously this season with a lineup that runs well into May.
Whether you have been meaning to finally visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi or you are looking for a weekend activity for the kids, there is genuinely something on the calendar for most people right now.
The Picasso Exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi Is Worth the Trip
The big draw this season is Picasso, the Figure, open at Louvre Abu Dhabi until May 31. The exhibition takes a thematic look at Picasso’s obsession with the human form, pulling together works from the Musée National Picasso-Paris, the Musée du Louvre, regional collections, and the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi. It is one of the more significant exhibitions to land in the region this year, and the kind of thing you will regret skipping.
If you want more context before or after your visit, the Louvre Abu Dhabi auditorium is screening Young Picasso on April 25 at 7pm. The documentary traces the early years of his life and how his style took shape, which makes the works in the exhibition land differently.
For families, the museum has Picasso-inspired workshops for school students every Thursday, combining a gallery walk with hands-on creative time inside the museum. There is also Art in Scents, a multisensory experience running every Thursday and Saturday that lets visitors explore art through fragrance using a specially designed scent book.
Manarat Al Saadiyat and Cultural Foundation Are Busy Too
Also in Saadiyat Cultural District, Manarat Al Saadiyat’s Art Studio has a full April and May calendar. Textile art masterclasses, mixed media sessions for younger children, and a daily drop-in studio covering ceramics, painting and printmaking for adults, teens and juniors. The drop-in format means you do not need to book ahead for most sessions, which makes it easy to fit into a weekend.
Over at Cultural Foundation in the city, the anchor exhibition right now is Shezad Dawood: Skin of Dreams, a mid-career retrospective of the British artist running through September. Alongside it, the workshop calendar covers Arabic calligraphy, Islamic geometric patterns, oil and acrylic painting, mosaic and ceramics, with sessions running through April and into the coming months.
The Museum Pass Makes It Easy to Do All Three
If you are planning to visit more than one venue, the new Saadiyat Cultural District Museum Pass is worth knowing about. A two-museum pass starts at AED 120 and a three-museum pass covering the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, and Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi costs AED 170. Both are valid for 30 days from first use, and children under 18 get in free with every pass. Passes are available online and at kiosks inside the museums.
For the full programme and to plan your visit, head to visitabudhabi.ae.
