Souraya Noujaim appointed Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi

Souraya Noujaim has been appointed Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, as the museum prepares to mark its tenth anniversary in 2027.

Announced by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Noujaim’s appointment sees her succeed Manuel Rabaté, who led the museum from its opening in 2017 until his departure earlier this year.

An art historian and curator specialising in Islamic art and archaeology, Noujaim most recently served as Director of the Department of Islamic Arts at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, overseeing a collection of approximately 18,000 works.

Noujaim has a longstanding relationship with Louvre Abu Dhabi that predates the museum’s opening. She contributed to the development of its curatorial and intellectual direction before becoming its first Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management Director in 2018. Until 2023, she oversaw acquisitions, exhibitions, research and other aspects of the museum’s collection.

She also helped establish Art Here, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s annual exhibition and contemporary art prize.