Zayed and British museums collaborate

• Last Updated: July 25. 2009 7:00PM UAE / July 25. 2009 3:00PM GMT

The Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), has signed the British Museum as a consulting partner to the Zayed National Museum.

TDIC, the developer of Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island Cultural District, said the British Museum will serve as a consulting partner to the Zayed National Museum's operating body and advise on a full range of issues, from design and construction to educational and curatorial programming as well as training. The museum is scheduled to open in 2012/2013 as the cornerstone project in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, planned to be the largest concentration of premier cultural institutions in the world.

"In developing this project, which is so significant not only for us but for the entire Middle East, we could have no better advisor than the British Museum," said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, the chairman of TDIC and of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

"This great and historic institution, known for its unsurpassed expertise in every field and its profound respect for every culture, will help us make the Zayed National Museum a place of inspiration and pride for Emiratis, a beacon for the people of our region, and a source of information and understanding for our visitors from around the world."

*WAM