MIDDLE EAST - Lebanese art historian Souraya Noujaim has been appointed director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, returning to the museum after previously overseeing its curatorial and collections management work.
From Abu Dhabi to Paris
Noujaim previously served as Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director from 2018 to 2023. She later led the Department of Islamic Arts at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, overseeing a collection of approximately 18,000 works.
Her professional experience also includes work with the British Museum, the Institut du Monde Arabe and France Muséums Agency. She specialises in Islamic art history and archaeology and holds a doctorate in the field from Paris Nanterre University.
A New Chapter for the Museum
Noujaim returns to Louvre Abu Dhabi as the institution prepares to mark its 10th anniversary in November 2027. The museum opened in November 2017 on Saadiyat Island as part of an agreement between the United Arab Emirates and France.
Designed by architect Jean Nouvel, the museum presents artworks and historical objects from different civilisations and periods, with exhibitions exploring connections between cultures.
During her previous tenure, Noujaim contributed to the museum’s curatorial direction, collection development and exhibition programming. Her new role places her at the head of the institution as it continues to develop its collection, research activities and public programmes.
The appointment brings Noujaim back to the Abu Dhabi museum after her subsequent leadership role at the Louvre in Paris, linking her experience in both institutions as Louvre Abu Dhabi enters its second decade.
