Online tickets sell out for Louvre Abu Dhabi opening day

Tickets can still be bought on the day, according to the museum's helpline

Due to the high demand for tickets, museum officials are encouraging members of the public to visit after November 11. Christopher Pike / The National

Online tickets for Louvre Abu Dhabi's highly-anticipated Saturday opening have officially sold out.

But tickets can also be bought on the day, according to the museum's helpline.

Tickets purchased online and on site will cost the same - Dh60 but priority will be given to those who purchased tickets online.

There will be parking including a valet option available adjacent to the museum for people arriving from 10am on Saturday.

A cafe will also be open from Saturday but an admission ticket is needed to gain entry.

Due to the high demand for tickets, museum officials are encouraging members of the public to visit after November 11.

Admission gives you access to the galleries, exhibitions, children’s museum and public spaces beneath the dome. Regular tickets cost Dh60 while Dh30 will buy entry for visitors between the ages of 13 and 22. Free access will be granted for children under 13 years and disabled visitors who are accompanied with one companion.

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From Saturday, visitors will be able to view about 600 exhibits, half of which will be from the museum’s permanent collection. Artworks on display will include a self portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, "Children Wrestling" by Paul Gauguin; and "La Belle Ferronnière" by Leonardo da Vinci.

People who plan on visiting the museum on Saturday can expect to see a traditional al ayyala dance at 10am and Mali's Awa Troupe of Sangha, who will perform a parade at 3pm showcasing traditional dogon masks with drummers and musicians. An Etihad fly past of the iconic dome will take place at 4pm.

Four days of entertainment are also taking place to mark the long-awaited opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi.

World music stars Ibrahim Maalouf, Fatoumata Diawara, Matthieu Chedid, aka -M-, and Totó la Momposina are performing over four nights at 9pm from Saturday along with local art performances, displays, workshops and family activities.

Performances by -M- on November 11 and Maalouf on November 13 have been sold out.

Tickets for the other two performances by Diawara on November 12 and Momposina on November 14 are still available and can be booked online at Dh200 a ticket.

Something to look out for on Sunday is "Music TV". Devised by Emirati artist Hind Mezaina, it is a montage of TV footage from the 1970s to the 1990s and forms a celebration of female singers and dancers as seen on TV in the UAE.

Entry to activities before the 9pm concert are included in the Dh60 ticket price.

From November 11, Louvre Abu Dhabi will be open Saturdays to Wednesdays from 10am to 8pm and Thursdays to Fridays from 10am to 10pm. The museum will be closed on Mondays.

Saturday's opening marks the end of a ten-year journey from when the museum was first announced in 2007.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, along with a host of dignitaries and VIPs will be in town later this week for the official opening ceremony.