Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has undertaken the world's largest museum development project in the Cultural District on Saadiyat (Arabic for "Happiness") Island, combined with a large residential component, multiple hotels, golf courses and an environmental preservation area aimed at sustaining the Gulf coast.

Connected to the city by a bridge, Saadiyat Island was planned as a large-scale ecosystem of residential zones, hotels, golf courses, and a mangrove reserve, with its northeast corner designated for the Cultural District. Six flagship institutions, designed by world-renowned architects, were to anchor this vision.

We have worked with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development and InvestmentCompany (TDIC) to develop many of the exciting new cultural institutions on Saadiyat Island. We produced a Concept Plan for the Louvre Abu Dhabi and worked with leading French architect Jean Nouvel who has designed that museum. We did a Master Plan for the Abu Dhabi Maritime Museum, working with the great Japanese architect Tadao Ando. For the Zayed National, we developed the Master Plan and then used it as the Brief to create and manage the international architectural competition which was won by the leading British architect Sir Norman Foster. We were subsequently asked to help develop a Governance Structure for these museums.

At the unveiling of the design models on January 31, 2007, TDIC acknowledged Lord Cultural Resources at the opening:

"One of the world's most experienced museum consultants, Lord Cultural Resources, has been appointed to plan content and operational matters for the Zayed National Museum and Maritime Museum