4 August 2026 15:47 PM | Last updated: 4 August 18:01 2026
فاليري هيلينغز – حقوق الصورة جاستن كيس كون در
Summary
Dr. Valerie Hillings has been appointed as the inaugural director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, tasked with leading the strategy and exhibitions while enhancing the museum’s status as a global hub for modern and contemporary art.
Appointment of Dr. Valerie Hillings
On Tuesday, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi announced the appointment of Dr. Valerie Hillings as the first director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. This museum is set to be a cornerstone of the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is one of the largest cultural collections in the world. Alongside the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum, the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum, and TeamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, the Guggenheim represents Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision.
Vision for the Guggenheim
As director, Dr. Hillings is responsible for translating this vision into reality by steering the museum’s strategic direction, overseeing its exhibitions and foundational programmes, and establishing a grounded institution in Abu Dhabi that is connected globally. The museum aims to bridge cultures, inspire audiences, and celebrate art from the 1960s to the present day.
Dr. Hillings’ Background
Dr. Hillings has an extensive history with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, having served as Senior Curator and Associate Director for Arts at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation from 2009 to 2018. During this period, she closely collaborated with the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi on the collection strategy and art acquisitions, the pre-opening programs, and the building designed by Frank Gehry. Her prior experience also includes five years as part of the curatorial team at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Since 2018, she has been the director of the North Carolina Museum of Art, where she led a reimagining of the permanent collection galleries, added approximately 400 works of art to the collection, and successfully doubled annual visitor numbers to reach 1.2 million. Dr. Hillings holds both a PhD and Master’s degree in Art History and Archaeology from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Duke University, specialising in modern and contemporary art.
Dr. Hillings’ Vision for the Future
Expressing her enthusiasm for the role, Dr. Hillings stated, “I am honoured to return to Abu Dhabi to continue this extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime journey of establishing and opening the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum that has developed in the UAE with the help of colleagues from the region and around the globe. I look forward to welcoming local and international audiences to this remarkable architectural entity designed by Frank Gehry, inviting them to explore the intersections and unique narratives through the lens of art spanning from the 1960s to the present day.”
Through its curatorial offerings, exhibitions, commissioned works, research, and public programmes, the museum is set to enhance dialogue between cultures and generations, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for artistic innovation, creative production, and cultural exchange. The museum boasts 30 exhibition halls covering 11,600 square metres of indoor gallery space, complemented by an additional 23,000 square metres of outdoor exhibition space. Upon its opening, it promises to be one of the most notable platforms for modern and contemporary art globally.