Dubai’s new art museum floats on water: All you need to know about Duma

Imagine a museum that seems to float on water, glinting like a pearl. That’s the vision behind the Dubai Museum of Art (DUMA), unveiled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, over the weekend.

So what exactly is the Duma, and why is it creating such a buzz? Here’s everything you need to know about Dubai’s newest cultural landmark.

What is the Dubai Museum of Art?

Recommended For You

Dubai flying taxi: RTA to offer free rides to select passengers next year

Driving French business growth in Dubai: The Clemenceau Group strategy

Emphatic win for Quetta Qavalry in Abu Dhabi T10 opener

South Africa coach lauds Bavuma as one of the best in the world

UAE: Gold prices fall from record highs, but analysts predict another surge

 

The Dubai Museum of Art is the city’s newest architectural icon. Developed by the Al-Futtaim Group and designed by the world-renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the museum will be housed on an island in the Dubai Creek.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

What makes its design unique?

The museum’s design is inspired by the sea and the pearl — two enduring symbols of Dubai’s heritage and spirit. Its curved shell encloses a circular exhibition hall that represents unity, discovery, and continuity. At the centre, a cylindrical opening allows natural light to cascade through the structure, evoking the soft shimmer of a pearl.
Rising five storeys above the water, DUMA blends local culture with modern architectural sensibility, resulting in a design that is both human-centred and symbolic.

What can visitors expect inside?

The museum will feature:

• Exhibition galleries across the first and second floors

• A restaurant and VIP lounge on the third floor

• Ground and basement levels with support spaces

Beyond exhibitions, Duma will host artist talks, panel discussions, educational programmes, and art fairs. Purpose-built event spaces will support a year-round cultural calendar.

What kind of art will it showcase?

Duma will showcase modern and contemporary art that reflects Dubai’s diversity and creative energy. It aims to become a global meeting point for artists to exchange ideas, collaborate, and celebrate creativity — using art as a catalyst for empathy, curiosity, and social transformation.

In essence, the museum captures Dubai’s spirit: open to the sea and sky, rooted in heritage, and constantly looking forward.

Who is designing the Dubai Museum of Art?

Duma is being designed by Tadao Ando, one of the world’s most celebrated architects. A 1995 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate — often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Architecture — Ando is known for his minimalist concrete designs that harmonise with natural elements through light and space.

His most famous works include:

• The Chichu Art Museum in Japan

• The Bourse de Commerce in Paris, France

• The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas, USA

Ando’s philosophy emphasises deep integration between architecture and the environment — a principle that will be at the heart of the Dubai Museum of Art’s design.

Why is this museum significant for Dubai?

Duma reflects Dubai’s ambition to be recognised as a global capital of culture, creativity, and innovation. It embodies Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of the emirate as a destination where artists, designers, and innovators from across the world can come together to collaborate and shape the future of the creative economy. The museum will enrich Dubai’s artistic landscape, diversify its cultural offerings, and strengthen its standing on the global modern art map.

Sahim Salim

Staff Writer

• 

sahim@khaleejtimes.com

As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.