Applications are now open for Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Research Fellowship Programme, supporting innovative work in art history, archaeology, museum studies, conservation, and heritage science. Fellows conduct research on-site using the museum’s Resource Center, Conservation Center and Scientific Laboratory – the first of its kind in the Gulf for material analysis.

Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Research Programme focuses on transversal areas such as art history, museum studies, collection studies, and heritage science, with the aim of fostering groundbreaking research in collaboration with scholars and institutions, both regionally and globally. Structured around three thematic axes – Global History of Museums and Collections, Circulation of Styles, Images and Texts and Precious Materials and Routes of Exchange – the programme addresses key topics of art historical scholarship, while also advancing and cooperating with research initiatives beyond the museum’s walls.

At the core of this programme are Louvre Abu Dhabi’s research facilities, which include the museum’s Resource Center, the Library, the Conservation Center, and a Scientific Laboratory allowing for the material analysis of artworks – the first of its kind in the Gulf region. The activities encompassed by the programme include symposiums, workshops, and publications aimed at stimulating dialogue and disseminating knowledge around collections and related themes.

Launched in 2024, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Fellowship Programme enters its second edition in 2025, consolidating the museum’s role as a global platform for research and knowledge exchange. Building on the achievements of its inaugural year, the programme continues to support scholars and museum professionals through both short- and long-term fellowships. All fellows are expected to give a lecture, participate in museum activities, and prepare a publication-ready paper.

Fellowships must relate to one of the museum’s three research themes:
1. Global History of Museums & Collections
Explores the establishment of museums and collections on a global scale. Projects may examine curatorial practices, audience-building, display strategies, and global expressions of the “universal museum,” taking Louvre Abu Dhabi as a ground of analysis.

2. Circulation of Styles, Images & Texts
Investigates how objects, styles, techniques, and ideas travel from the second millennium onward. Topics include artistic exchanges, transnational routes of circulation, cultural transfers, and multiple modernities—challenging ideas of cultural hierarchies and exploring horizontal encounters across cultures.

3. Precious Materials & Routes of Exchange
Focuses on materiality of artworks related to the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection, which reflects influences from both East and West, testifying to the significance of trade routes such as the Silk Road, terrestrial and maritime exchanges throughout history. Projects may study how precious materials moved across regions, how cultural interactions shaped artistic practices, and how notions of rarity, beauty, and value evolved over time.

Researchers and scholars specializing in Art History, Archaeology, Museum Studies, Heritage Science, Conservation, and associated fields are encouraged to submit proposals aligned with one of the three thematic axes related to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collections mentioned above. Each application should entail significant research activity and must remain feasible throughout the project period.

Please read specific application requirements, according to the grant category for
which you are sending your project to (Short-term Fellowships or Long-term Fellowship): https://www.louvreabudhabi.ae/-/media/2025/fellowship-2025/fellowship-and-grant-application-guidelines-2025.pdf?rev=b311f20eebda4e6daa441a9f4c5361f6

Short-Term Fellowships (3 months)
Funding: AED 85,000 (stipend, travel, accommodation).
Requirements: CV (3 pages), project proposal (1,500 words), writing sample, and referee details.

Long-Term Fellowships (9 months)
Funding: AED 245,000 (stipend, travel, accommodation).
Requirements: CV (3 pages), project proposal (2,500 words), writing sample, and referee details.

Selection criteria:
Prospective fellows will be evaluated based on their research background and their ability to demonstrate the quality and originality of their proposals. Assessments will also consider how well the proposals align with the programme mission and the museum’s collections. Furthermore, candidates will be assessed on the feasibility of their research projects, ensuring they encompass the methodology to engage effectively with Louvre Abu Dhabi’s resources and facilities. Employees of Louvre Abu Dhabi are not eligible to apply.

Submissions Instructions:
- All three documents (CV, project proposal, writing sample) must be submitted in the specified order and combined into a single PDF file named using the candidate’s name. For example: CandidateName_Application.pdf.
- Academic references should be entered in the submission form.
- Only complete applications will be reviewed.

Deadline: February 7th, 2026
Results: May 2026

Please apply online: louvreabudhabi.ae/en/louvre-abudhabi-fellowships-call-for-proposal

Inquiries: researchlouvreabudhabi.ae