Louvre Abu Dhabi has appointed art historian and curator Dr Souraya Noujaim as its new director, marking a new chapter for the museum as it approaches its 10th anniversary in 2027.
Noujaim returns to the Abu Dhabi museum with which she has a long-standing association. She served as its first Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director from 2018 to 2023, helping shape its curatorial strategy, collection development, exhibitions and research programmes. She was also involved in establishing Art Here, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s contemporary art exhibition and Richard Mille Art Prize.
An expert in Islamic art history and archaeology, Noujaim most recently served as Director of the Department of Islamic Arts at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, where she oversaw a collection of around 18,000 Islamic artworks. Her academic background includes a PhD in Islamic Art History and Archaeology from Paris Nanterre University.
As director, Noujaim will oversee Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection, exhibitions, research, conservation, education, public programmes and visitor experience, as the institution enters its second decade.
Opened in 2017 on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, Louvre Abu Dhabi has developed into an international museum built around connections between cultures and artistic traditions. Noujaim’s return brings back a curator who was involved in shaping that vision from its early years.
With the museum preparing to enter its second decade, her appointment places curatorial expertise and the continued development of its collection at the centre of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s next chapter.
Featuring Image Courtesy: Le Quotidien de l’Art
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