With construction of Louvre Abu Dhabi entering its final stages, government officials have said a handover of the building will take place in the middle of 2016 – on schedule for an amended opening date at the end of that year.

Work on the iconic structure’s roof was completed in October last year, along with all 9,200sq m (99,000sq ft) of the museum’s galleries, plus the concrete work for the basement levels and security screening facility through which vehicles will transport artwork.

The opening date was pushed back by officials owing to delays in the procurement and installation of artwork. The museum’s curator, Jean-François Charnier, had previously said that pieces would take three months to hang and the the emirate was working hard to “fill gaps in the collection”.

After completion of works on the Jean Nouvel-designed building, the final stage of development will be to remove the 14m (46ft) temporary hydraulic cutoff walls, built to allow construction to take place on dry land. As the wall is removed, seawater will flow into the basin, giving the illusion of the museum floating in the sea.

Once complete, Louvre Abu Dhabi will be one of the premier cultural institutions located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District. The museum is a joint venture between the governments of Abu Dhabi and France, and is set to contain archaeological artefacts and works of art from a wide range of periods and cultures, with universal themes and common influences highlighted throughout. Other major developments nearby include the Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

Louvre Abu Dhabi opening delayed until end of 2016

Louvre Abu Dhabi project hits construction milestone