Louvre Abu Dhabi museum

On Saturday, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will open its doors to the public, more than 10 years after France agreed to loan the name of the Louvre to the United Arab Emirates as part of a deal with Agence France-Museums reportedly worth in excess of $1 billion.

While swipes have been made at the oil-rich nation for using its wealth to buy culture, there's no doubt that, in terms of cultural significance, the museum is a huge milestone not just for the Middle East, but for the world.