Webcam extraordinaire EarthCam has condensed over one million high-resolution images into a three-minute time-lapse video that captured construction of a highly anticipated tourist attraction in Abu Dhabi. From the onset of initial groundworks in 2009 to the grand opening in 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has had cameras pointed its way, chronicling an eight-year construction process plagued by delays.

EarthCam's editors reviewed more than 70,000 hours of archived footage collected from over 50 different perspectives and has neatly presented it in the form of a 4K cinematic time-lapse journey. The Jean Nouvel-designed art and civilization museum, inaugurated on November 8th, is now the largest art museum in the Arabian peninsula. A 30-year agreement between Abu Dhabi and the French government secured the right to use the iconic Louvre name associated with the historic Paris institution. 

Louvre Abu Dhabi, image by Flickr user John Campbell

Starting as a barren patch of desert on Saadiyat Island and finishing as a skyline-defining landmark, the building's signature geometric dome is composed of 7,850 intertwined metal stars that create a dancing display of light within the gallery spaces according to the sun's placement in the sky. Measuring 180 metres in diameter, the dome emulates the palm trees in the United Arab Emirates oases. The museum appears to be on an island itself with a moat of flooded pools surrounding the complex, which contains 23 permanent galleries and exhibition spaces. 

Louvre Abu Dhabi, image by Flickr user John Campbell

"The Louvre Abu Dhabi is an epic architectural achievement and we are honoured to have been the time-lapse technology provider for this iconic project," said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam. "I'm proud of the work our dedicated team has produced over the past eight years documenting this incredible Jean Nouvel masterpiece."