Three top institutes to help create world's largest consolidated Arts Museum in Dubai

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA) announced the Berlin State Museums, Bavarian State Collections of Paintings in Munich and Saxonian State Museums and Art Collections in Dresden, three internationally-renowned museums, will establish a physical presence at 'The Universal Museums' project in Dubai, recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

In addition to establishing their physical presence, the three museums will work alongside the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority to implement various joint initiatives, including exhibitions and conferences related to the fine arts and world cultures.

The museums will also work promote exchange of expertise in scientific and restoration work and education programmes, displaying rare and contemporary works of art from around the world.

His Excellency Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Managing Director of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, stated: "Three of the world's leading museums will establish a physical presence in Dubai; a partnership that marks the first time collaboration between these iconic institutions.

I believe today, with such a testament, Dubai is demonstrating its status as a cross road and a meeting centre for partners from around the world as envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in his visionary Dubai Strategic Plan 2015. "

The German Federal Museums in Berlin (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) comprise one of the largest museum complexes in the world. Encompassing sixteen museums with numerous branches at different sites in Berlin and in Germany, three research institutes and the biggest plaster cast workshop worldwide, they constitute a Universal Museum of Art from its beginnings to the present day.

The unique collections of the Federal Museums in Berlin embrace the areas of European, Islamic, Asian, African and American art, archaeology, and ethnology. Since the re-unification of the divided German nation in 1990, the Federal Museums in Berlin is carrying out a master plan for in-depth reorganisation and an ambitious extension of the current locations.

In 1999, the UNESCO awarded the Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel Berlin) - the core and the jewel of the German capital and its museum's landscape - the status World Heritage Site with its world famous highlights as the coloured bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, the procession road from Babylon and the Altar of Pergamon.

Dr. Peter Klaus Schuster, Director General of the Federal Museums in Berlin, said: "The Federal Museums in Berlin is honoured to generate together with the museums in Dresden and Munich a comprehensive cosmos of the arts with our new partner, the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The United German Museums Berlin - Dresden - Munich wants to realize this challenging museum project in an international dialogue with museums in London, New York, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Beijing. Within the very next years, Dubai will become an international museum and exhibition centre for all genres from antiquity up to contemporary art."

With almost 30,000 works of art, the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Collections of Paintings) in Munich form one of the largest collections of paintings in the world. The rich holdings cover a span from the 14th century to contemporary art and are largely the result of the collecting activities of the Royal House of Bavaria. These treasures are now exhibited in Munich's three major art museums the Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek and the Pinakothek der Moderne as well as in 13 branch galleries all over Bavaria.

Dr. Reinhold Baumstark, Director General of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings, said: "Looking back over almost five hundred years of collecting in Bavaria it will be exciting to take part in helping shape Dubai into a major centre for the art of the world. We are proud to share in the near future masterpieces from Munich with an audience in Dubai; a country that boasts a truly global stage with over 200 nationalities."

The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Saxonian State Museums & Art Collections in Dresden) are among the most important, oldest museums and existing treasures, embodying a history of over 450 years. Comprising 11 museum institutions, they offer a thematic diversity that is unparalleled anywhere in the world.

Their Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery) showcases the masterpieces of world-famous painters of the 16th to 18th centuries, including Raffael, Titian, Vermeer, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Porzellansammlung is the largest and most precious collection of porcelain outside of Asia and showcases a great wealth of the famous Meissen porcelain which was invented in Dresden 300 years ago.

The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden also boast the only existing treasure chamber - The Green Vault - consisting of around 3,000 masterpieces made of gold, silver, diamonds and pearls. It was created as a synthesis of arts in the Baroque style, an expression of wealth and power.

"One of the most important tasks and challenges we face is to safely hand over the precious collections, preserved for over a hundred years, to the future generations," stated Dr. Martin Roth, Director General of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

"It is an honour and responsibility that our children will share this cultural heritage on a global scale through such a strategic and far sighted initiative. We hope to achieve this monumental feat through partnerships such as the cooperation between Dubai and Germany."

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced on 10 May the launch of 'The Universal Museums' project, slated to bring together leading collections by globally-recognized museums for the first time ever, confirming his vision of Dubai as a vibrant global city that draws the world's greatest artistic and cultural assets.

'The Universal Museums' will be located in the recently-launched Khor Dubai area, a 27 kilometre long project stretching from Shindagha to Business Bay, alongside the area's museums, performances spaces, artist ateliers, and galleries. The combined attractions of these matchless institutions will draw local, regional and international 'cultural tourists,' in addition to the thousands of visitors who already flock to the emirate each year.

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority will work with leading global architects, other universal museums and leading international museum partners as well as local developers to design and build 'The Universal Museums' project in Dubai. Partners will be invited to participate from among the world's most prominent institutions.