Amy Peacock28 October 2025
Japanese architect Tadao Ando has unveiled the design for an art museum in Dubai, which will be housed in a rounded, twisting building overlooking the emirate’s natural saltwater creek.
Renders of the five-storey Dubai Museum of Art reveal a curving building finished with white walls, punctuated by triangular windows as they swoop and twist upwards.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Ando for Dubai-based conglomerate Al-Futtaim Group, Dubai Museum of Art, also known as DUMA, is hoped to become a cultural landmark for artists and art enthusiasts.
Its distinctive silhouette draws on the sea and pearls and will be raised on a circular platform that extends over Dubai Creek.
Gallery spaces will be located on the first and second floors, illuminated by a central circular skylight designed to cast light with a pearl-like shimmer.
A VIP lounge and restaurant will be situated on the top floor, where full-height glazing will open onto a sheltered outdoor terrace with panoramic views of Dubai.
Elsewhere in the museum will be a library, study rooms and spaces to host initiatives dedicated to training young creatives.
“The Dubai Museum of Art is more than an architectural landmark,” said Al-Futtaim Group CEO Omar Al Futtaim. “It is a cultural statement that reflects Dubai’s openness to creativity and affirms its role in connecting cultures and celebrating talent from around the world.”
“We are especially proud to have entrusted the design to the world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, whose architecture speaks the language of light, silence, and soul,” he continued.
“In Dubai, his vision for the Museum of Art will stand as a serene dialogue between nature, water, and the human spirit, a masterpiece of restraint and emotion that embodies both ingenuity and timeless elegance, perfectly capturing the depth of his philosophy.”
Dubai Museum of Art will exhibit contemporary artworks by established and emerging artists, while its event spaces will be used for artist talks, panel discussions, educational events and art fairs.
“The Dubai Museum of Art will be a new beacon for the city, enhancing its arts scene and further strengthening its global cultural status,” said Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
“Dubai has become 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,” he continued.
“This new cultural landmark advances our strategic goal to position Dubai as a global hub for creativity and culture, and cements its place on the modern art map.”
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