“A double dome 180 metres in diameter, offering horizontal, perfectly radiating geometry, a randomly perforated woven material, providing shade punctuated by bursts of sunlight.”

Beautifully inspiring, that is the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum as explained by the architect. The museum, which looks out of the world, opens to the public on Saturday.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is described as a “universal museum on a mission to create human connections through art – from prehistory to the present”.

“This will be a place where visitors can connect, a place of cultural understanding and international exchange.” said Mohamed Al-Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and the Tourism Development and Investment Company, according to reports.

Here’s a low down on the Louvre Abu Dhabi

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. He said that the architecture “makes it a place of convergence and correlation between the immense sky, the sea-horizon and the territory of the desert”.

It is the first museum outside France which bears the name of the museum in Paris. The Louvre in Paris opened in 1793 after the French Revolution.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is located on Saadiyat Island at the Arabian Gulf’s coastline.  The architect stressed the waterfront location at the coastline because “water reflects, inspires and stands for the ongoing flow of the mind when inspired by art”.

The Arabian-style dome museum covers a collection of 23 permanent galleries across 6,400 sq metres.

As many as 1, 600 rare pieces of artwork will be on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

The artwork at the museum includes Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Auguste Rodin’s Jean d’Aire and the sculpture Apollo Belvedere by Primatice.

Ancient masterpieces include a white marble Head of Buddha from China. Highlights from later periods include a red Chinese lacquer chest of drawers produced in France by Bernard II van Risenburgh.

Twenty-eight artefacts at the Louvre Abu Dhabi are borrowed from Arab cultural institutions.

Some works on display are loaned from the museum’s 13 partner museums in France.

The museum has a section for temporary exhibitions, a museum for children, auditoriums and a research centre.

The Abu Dhabi Government loaned the name for 30 years and six months under a 1-billion Euro contract ($1.15 billion) as a part of the agreement between the UAE and France.

The next time you visit the country, make sure to visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi for a completely awe-inspiring experience.

(With inputs from agencies)