Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi Grand Opening

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi was officially inaugurated in November 2025, marking a major cultural milestone for the Emirate and the wider region. The opening ceremony featured a large-scale immersive experience telling the story of 13.8 billion years of life on Earth, from the Big Bang to humanity’s role as future guardian of the planet. The event was designed and produced by People&Co, with Francisco Negrin serving as Creative Director, and featured cinematic video content created by Moment Factory.
At the heart of the celebration was a 20-minute cinematic show that transformed the museum’s façade and surrounding gardens through a seamless integration of light, projection, sound, and architecture. Senior members of the Abu Dhabi royal family and UAE leadership attended the inauguration, underscoring its national and cultural significance.
The lighting design was created by Durham Marenghi, with lighting programming by Pedro, translating the design vision into a precisely timed and technically robust system fully synchronized with the visual and audio layers. Through detailed cueing and dynamic control, lighting became a key narrative element, enhancing scale, atmosphere, and emotional impact throughout the experience.
A proud moment for Abu Dhabi’s cultural future and one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies we have ever had the privilege to create.


CREDITS:

Artistic Director: Tim Elliott
Show Director: Francisco Negrin
Technical Director: Karl Jennkins
Content Creation: Moment Factory
Composer: Eden Mulholland
Lighting Designer: Durham Marenghi
Lighting Programmer: Pedro Marcé Socias
Lasers and SFX: Matrix
Drones: Skymagic

November 2025.