Dubaï veut donner le change en annonçant un nouveau musée d’art numérique
Dubai has announced plans for a new Museum of Digital Art (MODA), designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the firm behind the Burj Khalifa. The five-story museum will be located in the DIFC Zabeel District and feature permanent and temporary exhibitions, immersive experiences, educational spaces, and a digital twin for global access. The announcement comes amid regional turmoil, including Iranian missile and drone strikes on the UAE in March 2025 that damaged infrastructure, disrupted tourism, and reduced the 20th edition of Art Dubai from 120 galleries to just 50 stands.
The MODA announcement appears strategically timed to project normalcy and stability in a city whose brand relies on safety and neutrality. However, the lack of a budget or timeline suggests the project may be more about image management than concrete cultural development. By focusing on digital art, Dubai avoids direct competition with Abu Dhabi's heavyweight museum sector—home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum—while signaling continued cultural ambition despite the region's escalating conflict.