Roger Gary
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is one of the most developed and urbanized emirates. Abu Dhabi is home to many art galleries and museums, and the following are some the best in the business.
Located in the Bateen Area of Street 4, the Ethihad Modern Art Gallery is one of the most popular art galleries in Abu Dhabi. With a collection of stunning artistic works including paintings, sculptures and graphic creations, this art gallery is a great place for any lover of modern art. The gallery was established with the intention of creating a platform for young and aspiring artists to showcase their talents in modern art, and thus far, the gallery has done a flawless job at it. One can expect to see art work by the likes of Svilen Petrov, Khalid Al Najjad, Ufuc Kobas, and many other international artists. The Ethihad Modern Art Gellert also hosts art workshops, temporary exhibitions and many other programmes for eager artists.
The Al Ain National Museum is one of the best places to visit if you are interested in understanding the heritage and culture of the people of the UAE. Located just east of the Al Ain Oasis, the Al Ain National Museum showcases one of the best displays of life and culture of the UAE before the oil-era. The museum is divided into two sections; the Ethnographic Section and the Archeological Section. The Ethnographic section showcases the culture of the ancient people of the UAE, including the many practices and traditions they followed, as well artifacts such as traditional clothing and day-to-day implements. The Archeological Section boasts of one of the most illustrative collections of artifacts dating back to the Stone and Bronze ages of the UAE. Travellers can consider basing themselves at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara and heading to such sites.
The Ghaf Gallery has the reputation of being one of the first successful galleries in Abu Dhabi. Established in 1996, this art gallery offers a fusion of traditional and modern, precision and abstract, and local and international works of arts. The gallery is known for its vast space and unique style, giving its visitors an artistic experience which is truly unique and inspiring. The gallery is widely considered to be one of the key contributors to Abu Dhabi's growing art scene, so do pay it a visit.
A sure hit among car lovers, the Emirates National Auto Museum is one of the most unique museums in Abu Dhabi. Showcasing the private collection of automobiles and vehicles of Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, this museum is home to a range of vehicles, some of which have been modified and personalized to perfection. With close to 200 vehicles on display, expect to see cutting edge racing cars and their prototypes, a range of vintage limousines, seven Mercedes Benz's in seven different colors, and an assortment of military multi-purpose vehicles as well!
The N2N Gallery is one Abu Dhabi's newest art galleries. Located at the Emirates Palace, this contemporary art museum is home to some of the most dynamic and revolutionary art work by international and local artists. Visitors will get the opportunity of viewing work by some of Europe's biggest names in contemporary art such as Grygoriy Sokirinskiy, Petro Bevza, Klim Stepanov, and Oleksandr Kuzmin.
