• Korean Association of Arts Management
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• no.49
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• pp.117-147
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• 2019

Many cities are utilizing their cultural capital as a means for urban regeneration and tourist attraction. Museums form an essential component in these culture-based urban regeneration efforts, the Guggenheim Bilbao being a frequently cited example of success. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has benchmarked the Bilbao case study as they were looking for alternative income-generating industries in the post-oil era, embarking on a city-building project on the Saadiyat Island where resorts and cultural institutions of massive scale are being constructed. The Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi were pursued under this scheme, aiming at attracting tourism and elevating their status in the region as a cultural capital. This study examines the political, economic, and cultural background behind the Saadiyat city project and the pending issues behind the construction of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. This study purports that besides funding and an ambitious plan, social and cultural developments in the region over time will be essential for a successful localization of a Western brand museum in the region.