Dubai unveils Tadao Ando-designed Dubai Museum of Art on the Creek

Museum to be designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, one of the world’s most celebrated and influential architects

The Dubai Museum of Art (DUMA), unveiled in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on 25 October 2025, is a visionary project to be developed by the Al-Futtaim Group on the waters of the Dubai Creek. Designed by the world-renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, DUMA is set to become a major cultural and architectural landmark that will redefine the cityscape and enrich Dubai’s creative landscape.

A global cultural and creative hub

Sheikh Mohammed unveils Dubai Museum of Art.

The museum reflects Dubai’s ambition to position itself as a global capital of culture, creativity, and innovation. It embodies His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to make Dubai a destination of choice for creatives from around the world, home to communities and industries working together to accelerate the growth of the creative economy. By enriching Dubai’s creative landscape and strengthening its global cultural status, the museum will add to the city’s diversity and reinforce its standing on the modern art map. Through its exhibitions, programmes, and educational initiatives, the museum will serve as a new beacon for the city’s arts scene and a platform for artists from around the world to share ideas, exchange knowledge, and celebrate creativity.

A graphic illustration shows the Tadao Ando-designed Dubai Museum of Art on Dubai Creek.

One-of-a-kind design

The Dubai Museum of Art features a captivating, one-of-a-kind design that blends the essence of deep-rooted local culture with modern architectural sensibilities, emphasising symbolic meaning, human-centred dimensions, dynamic purpose, and strong appeal to artists and art enthusiasts. Inspired by the sea and the pearl—symbols of Dubai’s heritage and spirit—the museum’s curved shell encloses a circular exhibition hall that represents unity, discovery, and continuity. A central cylindrical opening allows natural light to cascade through the structure, evoking the gentle shimmer of a pearl.

An international platform for artists

Rising five storeys above the water, the Museum will feature adaptable exhibition galleries across the first and second floors, a restaurant and VIP lounge on the third floor, as well as ground and basement levels. Beyond its exhibitions, the Museum will host artist talks, panel discussions, educational programmes, and art fairs. Purpose-built event spaces and a dedicated VIP lounge will support a curated cultural calendar that fosters learning, dialogue, and creative innovation. To deepen its educational impact, the Museum will include a library and study rooms, as well as world-class training programmes designed to nurture future generations of creative leaders.

The Dubai Museum of Art captures the spirit of Dubai—open to the vast sea and sky, in harmony with its natural surroundings, and inspired by the city’s deep-rooted heritage. The Museum will showcase modern and contemporary art that reflects Dubai’s spirit and diversity. It will offer artistic and human experiences that strengthen cultural ties and open new paths for personal growth and knowledge exchange, using art as a catalyst for empathy, curiosity, and social transformation.

About the architect

Japanese architect Tadao Ando is one of the world’s most celebrated and influential architects, known for his minimalist concrete structures that harmonise with nature through masterful use of light, shadow, and spatial balance.

He is a 1995 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate - widely regarded as the Nobel Prize for Architecture- and has received numerous other prestigious accolades throughout his career.

His signature philosophy emphasises deep integration between architecture and environment. Among his notable projects are Japan’s Chichu Art Museum, the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, France, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas, USA.