Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) has revealed the opening dates for three museums that form part of the Saadiyat Cultural District in the United Arab Emirates.

Located on the Saadiyat Island development in Abu Dhabi, the first attraction to launch is to be the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2015. Zayed National Museum will follow a year later.

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will be the third new museum to be unveiled as part of the Saadiyat Cultural District in 2017, with detailed architectural designs for all three now finalised.

The new attractions are seen as "strategic components" of Abu Dhabi government's vision for the emirate state and are expected to encourage visitors from across the world to visit.

Architects involved with the museums' design are Jean Nouvel (Louvre Abu Dhabi); Lord Normal Foster (Zayed National Museum); and Frank Gehry (Guggenheim Abu Dhabi).

TDIC chair Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan said: "The museums will facilitate the development of cultural leaders and experts through education and employment, creating fulfilling career opportunities for UAE nationals.

"In turn this will integrate culture and arts into the daily life of the community, assisting to value, sustain and preserve the cultural heritage."

Details: www.saadiyat.ae

Image: Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in 2017