International museum day at al maqta'a museum ( 18 may 2026)

On this occasion, Al Maqta’a Museum invites university students to take part in a unique experience exploring career opportunities in the cultural sector, where participants will spend a day experiencing the museum from within, discovering how it operates, and gaining hands-on practical experience.

Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM 

Location: Al Maqta’a Museum

For more details, please visit: https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/events/international-museum-day 

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY AT DELMA MUSEUM (18 May 2026) 

On International Museum Day, Delma Museum is organising the event “Cultural Pathway to the Future”, which focuses on reactivating the Young Tour Guides programme. During the event, participants will be trained inside the museum, where they will lead visitor tours and take part in short sessions that connect the heritage experience with future skills and opportunities.

Time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Location: Delma Museum

For more details, please visit: https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/events/international-museum-day-delma-museum

HARAT AL HOSN (Ongoing) 

A temporary exhibition at Al Ain Museum brings to life the history and social fabric of a once-thriving neighbourhood through oral histories, archival materials, and sensory experiences. 

Time: 9 :00 AM to 6:00 PM

Location: Al Ain Museum 

For more details, please visit: https://www.alainmuseum.ae/en/exhibitions-events

GROUP EXPRESS TOURS AT LOUVRE ABU DHABI (Ongoing) 

Guided tours at Louvre Abu Dhabi are available across a wide range of themes, including our Picasso, the Figure exhibition, a brand new sensorial architecture experience, and the immersive olfactory experience, Art in Scents

Time: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Location: Louvre Abu Dhabi

For more details, please visit: https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/en/whats-on/daily-guided-tours

Visual Arts

PICASSO, THE FIGURE (Until 31 May 2026)

Louvre Abu Dhabi presents Picasso, the Figure, a major monographic exhibition of one of the most iconic names in modern art.

Time: Weekdays: 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM 

Weekends: 10:00AM to 8:30PM

Location: Louvre Abu Dhabi 

Entry: AED 63 (full price)/ AED 35 (reduced price) per person 

 SHEZAD DAWOOD: SKIN OF DREAMS (Until 20 September 2026) 

Shezad Dawood: Skin of Dreams is the first mid-career retrospective of artist Shezad Dawood. The exhibition invites you into the richly textured universe Dawood has been shaping for over two decades. Anchored in research, his works draw on diverse references from history, literature, architecture, music, science and technology, allowing him to make fantastical connections and leaps we might otherwise miss.

Time: Saturday - thursday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM 

Friday: 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM 

Location: Cultural Foundation  

Entry: Free 

For more details, please visit: https://culturalfoundation.ae/en/event/shezad-dawood-skin-of-dreams 

AL QATTARA MURALS - 6TH EDITION (Until 31 March 2027)

Group Chat brings together eighteen artists whose murals stand side by side within a shared flow. Meaning emerges not from a single voice, but from proximity, through echo, pause, and return. What binds these works is not resemblance, but the resonance created by their adjacency, where difference gathers into a living conversation.

Time: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Location: Al Qattara Arts Centre

For more details, please visit: https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/events/al-qattara-murals 

Community

 EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL 2026 (18 to 24 May 2026)

Featuring a wide range of genres, the festival promotes cultural exchange and explores universal themes such as identity, resilience, and social change. Set in Abu Dhabi’s cultural hub, the festival includes screenings, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.

Time: Times Vary

Location: Cultural Foundation 

Entry: Price starting from 25 AED

For more details, please visit: https://culturalfoundation.ae/en/event/european-film-festival-2026 

 ART IN MOTION: FILM SCREENINGS (Until 25 May 2026)

Experience cinema inspired by art. Curated films, thought-provoking stories, and immersive screenings.

Time: Times Vary

Location: Louvre Abu Dhabi 

Entry: Free, booking required

For more details, please visit: https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/whats-on#artinmotionfilms ­­­­­

AL-QOMRA PHOTOGRAPHY MEET UPS  (Ongoing) 

Al-Qomra Photography Meet Ups is a bi-weekly program at Manarat Al Saadiyat Photography Studio designed for photographers of all levels to connect, learn, and share their passion. Featuring meet-up sessions, workshops, and photo walks, the program fosters a supportive local photography community by encouraging discussions and skill sharing among enthusiasts and professionals alike. Sessions offer a platform for growth and networking within Abu Dhabi's photography scene. 

Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 

Location: Manarat Al Saadiyat