Dubai Plans Museum of Digital Art as Gulf Tech Race Intensifies

Dubai has revealed plans for the Museum of Digital Art (MODA), an institution focused on digital art, as part of a $27 billion initiative to transform its financial district into a technology hub. Currently, there is no established budget or timeline for completion. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chair of Dubai Culture, emphasized that the museum will enhance the city’s vision of merging creativity with technology. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the firm responsible for the Burj Khalifa, MODA aims to be the region's first museum of its kind, despite Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Art Futures debuting in 2024. This announcement came during a special edition of Art Dubai, which faced delays due to regional tensions from the U.S.-Israel conflict in Iran.