Under the dome: how the Louvre makes rain out of light
Jean Nouvel’s dome filters the sun through eight layers of steel to recreate shade under palm fronds.
Abu Dhabi Travel Guide · 18 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
The dome weighs as much as the Eiffel Tower and appears to float. Its 7,850 stars are cut into eight layers that let light fall in moving patterns.
Featured placeLouvre Abu DhabiA floating dome of 7,850 stars casts a “rain of light” over galleries that tell one story of humanity.
Visit at 10:00 for the sharpest patterns, then return late afternoon when the light turns amber.