Abu Dhabi is busy growing as a city and a capital. For a long time, it was lagging behind Dubai, and in some respects it still is. It has a much more provincial feel to it. But it is also much more deliberate in its approach. A capital city should be a center of culture: so A.D. is building a whole island dedicated to culture. Saadiyat today is a strip of sand with a huge highway running down the middle. Tomorrow it will be the home of 5 museums, including the Louvre and the Guggenheim.
As a preparation exercise, TDIC, the company that’s charged with developing tourism and culture in A.D., has entered into a partnership with the British Museum to present an exhibition on the “Splendours of Mesopotamia“. It’s housed at the Manarat al Saadiyat hall.
It’s an impressive exhibition. The British Museum hasn’t skimped on the pieces on offer. The pieces are well presented clearly labelled and well lit. The series of – free – lectures and workshops is well made and interesting.
As with most events here, there is an attempt to link the Mesopotamian history to that of the UAE and of Sheikh Zayed. Although it may seem contrived at times, one thing is clear: Zayed understood that no country can have a future if it doesn’t think about its past. I sincerely hope that exhibits like this, and the future museums, will help ground Emiratis, especially the younger generation, in a sense of belonging to a wider world.
Between the workshops and other visits, my wife and I have probably been there once every week since the start. If you haven’t been there, you have until the end of June to go and visit. It’s free, and really, really well worth it. Also do try the Fanar restaurant. (those of you who follow this blog know that I don’t recommend restaurants unless I really like them …)
A few weeks ago, TDIC kindly agreed to let me take some pictures inside the exhibition. Thanks to everybody who made that particular visit possible, and especially to Mitra Birgani who accompanied me while I was there. I can only apologize that it took me that long to post the pictures.
Stone relief showing parklands at Nineveh
King Ashurnasirpal
Limestone Kudduru (record of land transaction)
Stone Relief: Protective Spirit
Mosaic Column Drum
Vase with black decoration
Babylonian chronicle – Handbook of historical signs
Stone Foundation Tablet
Stone Wig Helmet
Clay Tablet ¨Early Administrative Record¨
Relief showing a lion hunt
Dilmun Type Button Seal
East India House inscription
Relief showing three protective spirits
Vase with black decoration
Votive Statue of a Woman
Stone Relief: Royal Bull Hunt
all the rights on the pictures reserved to the British Museum.
Splendours of Mesopotamia
Abu Dhabi is busy growing as a city and a capital. For a long time, it was lagging behind Dubai, and in some respects it still is. It has a much more provincial feel to it. But it is also much more deliberate in its approach. A capital city should be a center of culture: so A.D. is building a whole island dedicated to culture. Saadiyat today is a strip of sand with a huge highway running down the middle. Tomorrow it will be the home of 5 museums, including the Louvre and the Guggenheim.
As a preparation exercise, TDIC, the company that’s charged with developing tourism and culture in A.D., has entered into a partnership with the British Museum to present an exhibition on the “Splendours of Mesopotamia“. It’s housed at the Manarat al Saadiyat hall.
It’s an impressive exhibition. The British Museum hasn’t skimped on the pieces on offer. The pieces are well presented clearly labelled and well lit. The series of – free – lectures and workshops is well made and interesting.
As with most events here, there is an attempt to link the Mesopotamian history to that of the UAE and of Sheikh Zayed. Although it may seem contrived at times, one thing is clear: Zayed understood that no country can have a future if it doesn’t think about its past. I sincerely hope that exhibits like this, and the future museums, will help ground Emiratis, especially the younger generation, in a sense of belonging to a wider world.
Between the workshops and other visits, my wife and I have probably been there once every week since the start. If you haven’t been there, you have until the end of June to go and visit. It’s free, and really, really well worth it. Also do try the Fanar restaurant. (those of you who follow this blog know that I don’t recommend restaurants unless I really like them …)
A few weeks ago, TDIC kindly agreed to let me take some pictures inside the exhibition. Thanks to everybody who made that particular visit possible, and especially to Mitra Birgani who accompanied me while I was there. I can only apologize that it took me that long to post the pictures.
all the rights on the pictures reserved to the British Museum.