Dubai has announced plans for a new Museum of Digital Art (MODA), a major institution dedicated to digital and tech-driven art. The museum is part of a $27 billion transformation of Dubai's financial district into a technology hub, and will feature immersive and interactive experiences. No budget or completion date has been set, but Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture, stated the museum advances the city's commitment to converging creativity and technology. The museum will be designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the firm behind the Burj Khalifa.
This announcement intensifies the Gulf's competition to lead in digital culture, as neighboring Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi also invest heavily in new media initiatives and museums. MODA is a significant addition to Dubai's cultural infrastructure, which until last year lacked a dedicated art museum. The museum positions Dubai as a contender in the rapidly expanding Gulf art scene, while the recent pared-down Art Dubai fair demonstrated the resilience of the local art market amid regional instability.