Abstract

The site of museums and cultural institutions was once positioned in pedigrees of convention within constrained communities. Museums were recognized as advantaged grounds for presenting an image of the “self” and the “other”—the “self” defined as a dominant culture and the “other” perceived as lying outside of mainstream. It is interesting to note that in the contemporary context, the dichotomy of the “self” and “other” is redefined by accelerated globalization. The sites of museums now splurge into the global arena, pulling in players from every corner of the world. The trend involves the branding and franchising of museums leading to a “traffic in culture” which is claimed to dissolve the differences and otherness. The paper aims to study the Louvre, Abu Dhabi, slated to open in 2015, which serves as an exemplar for the embodiment of the inimitable museographic approach that highlights the intersection of civilizations to showcase and foster discourse between art transgressing precincts of art history, forms and techniques, and contemplating the conjunction and correspondence of creative expressions from different civilizations and various geographical areas. The ensuing dialogue between artworks, sculptures, and objects allows visitors to realize collective influences and gain insight into the history of humankind since the beginning of time.