Louvre Abu Dhabi's Ramadan events, iftars and performances to attend

Louvre Abu Dhabi has organised a series of activities, iftars and exhibitions to mark Ramadan, many of which are free to attend.

From art-fuelled iftars to talks highlighting the UAE’s architectural characteristics, here are the events to attend at Louvre Abu Dhabi this Ramadan:

History Walks

Louvre Abu Dhabi will hold guided art walks across its Islamic collection every Tuesday at 11am throughout Ramadan. The tours will trace the developments of the Islamic world’s art. Tickets to the walk are priced at Dh100, including admission to the museum.

Al Manama

Emirati architects and urbanists Ahmed and Rashid bin Shabib will reintroduce the traditional values of the Gulf to citizens and residents alike through three different manamas.

Al Manama in Arabic means “a place to rest and sleep”. It also refers to the summer pavilions built across the Arabian Gulf. In the local context of the UAE, the manama is a structure often seen in mountains. It allows heat to be trapped within the ground and keeps animals outside.

Much like the Japanese tea house or the Mongolian yurt, Al Manama is a historic architecture that is native, made using sustainable forms of construction to keep the temperature cool.

The three manamas at Louvre Abu Dhabi will each serve a different purpose. They will consist of a majlis, a library and an exhibit with film screenings and archival displays.

The manamas will be unveiled on April 4 and will be up at the museum until April 23. Access to them will be free with museum admission tickets.

Heritage talks

The Bin Shabib brothers will be holding two talks centred around the history and heritage of UAE architecture, which will come as part of Al Manama project.

The first will revolve around the design of the manama and will take place on April 5. The second, taking place on April 11, will examine the ecological influences of the architectural feature. Both talks will be held at 10pm at the Auditorium Plaza. They will be free to attend.

Performances

Organised by Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, Naseer Shamma’s oud will meet Nja Mahdaoui’s colours and shapes in an improvised live session and offer a unique artistic experience. Photo: Louvre Abu Dhabi

Oud maestro Naseer Shamma will collaborate with visual artists Nja Mahdaoui, who is best known for his kaleidoscopic calligraphy works, in a live performance organised by Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

The performance will take place at 10pm on April 7. Though free to attend, the event will require prior registration.

Iftars

Louvre Abu Dhabi will be hosting several iftars throughout Ramadan. While some will feature specific cuisines, others will strike a mood with the museum’s surrounding art and culture.

Salt Camp will take place daily until April 30. It will be held between 4pm and 2am each night at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s park, with visitors sitting around a fire pit while taking in the surroundings.

Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi will be holding a more upscale iftar every day of the week except for Monday, serving a special Emirati-French fusion menu. Open all day, it accepts bookings and walk-ins. The iftar is priced at Dh390 per person.

Aptitude Cafe will hold a set menu iftar, featuring authentic Middle Eastern as well as international cuisines. Running throughout Ramadan on Saturdays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the cafe will be accepting guests between 6pm to 12:30am. The iftar is priced at Dh165 per person.

For a more laid-back affair, Manoushe Night will be offering street food found across the Mediterranean and souqs in the region. The event will be running every Thursday and Friday throughout Ramadan. There is no set price as guests can order a la carte.

How about a Ramadan pizza? Louvre Abu Dhabi will be offering pizzas inspired by Ramadan flavours every Tuesday from March 28.

During Ramadan, Louvre Abu Dhabi will be open from 10am to midnight, Tuesday to Sunday. Galleries will close at 6.30pm on weekdays and 8.30pm on weekends. The museum will remain closed on Mondays.

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A cut-out of actor Amitabh Bachchan at Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Chhau dance mask from Purulia, West Bengal, of the demon king Ravana

Advertising posters and calendars from the early 19th century that provided visual inspiration for the first film directors of Indian cinema

Women’s dress (jumlo) from the first half of the 20th century made of embordered cotton and silk from Sindh, Pakistan, and metal and plastic

Ceremonial daggers from 19th century India

Black-and-white photographs from the movies of Indian director Satyajit Ray

A recreation of the ornate single-screen cinemas of India designed in the Art Deco style

Portable storyteller’s altar with panels detailing scenes from Ramayan

Statuette of Krishna as a child playing the flute from the second half of the 19th century from Jaipur, Rajasthan