The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi appoints Dr. Valerie Hillings as the inaugural Director of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Dr. Hillings will lead the museum’s strategic direction and oversee its inaugural exhibitions and public programmes to establish an institution that is rooted in Abu Dhabi and connected to the world. 

Between 2009 and 2018, Dr. Hillings served as the Curator of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and as the Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project. During the period, she focused on collection strategy, acquisitions, pre-opening programming, and the development of the museum building, working closely with Abu Dhabi cultural leaders. Her work as the Director of the North Carolina Museum of Art saw the complete reimagination of the permanent galleries, the acquisition of nearly 400 works, and the rise of annual visitor attendance to 1.2 million. Dr. Hillings brings extensive leadership experience to her role along with her deep familiarity with the institution. 

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi stands as a major cornerstone of the Saadiyat Cultural District, which also houses other major institutions like Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi. The Museum, dedicated to celebrating modern and contemporary art from the 1960s to the present, was developed through a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. 

Housing 11,600 square metres of interior exhibition space along with 23,000 square metres of outdoor exhibition areas, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi was designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, incorporating architectural forms inspired by the Gulf region. The institution aims to present a transcultural perspective on global art, reinforcing the emirate as an international hub for artistic innovation and cultural exchange.