If you’re looking for a place where the future of art is showcased, you may be surprised to know that it’s in Qatar, where museums look like they merge the new and traditional, the local and international, leaving visitors in awe at the unique architectural design and what’s in them.
These days, galleries in museums in Qatar contain not just Islamic culture and art, but also contemporary art from various cultures around the world. There was a time when this was forbidden in the Gulf region.
Why the Qatar National Museum is a Refreshing Tourist Destination
1. Modern Design
The Qatar National Museum is designed by famous architect Jean Nouvel. He also designed Louvre Abu Dhabi. The design takes inspiration from the desert rose, not an actual flower but desert gypsum crystals. It has 76,000 panels that look like huge clustered white saucers randomly assembled around the main building.
Everything about this unique design says “modern” or “futuristic,” and before even going inside the museum, you are already looking at a work of art.
2. Twenty-First Century Artwork
Entering the museum, don’t expect to see religious paintings or sculptures like the ones you see in the highly popular and crowded museums in Europe. The Qatar National Museum decides it wants to showcase the history of the country through visuals, sounds and lights that tell you it is indeed the 21st century. In fact, visitors have described the experience of visiting the Qatar National Museum as immersive and experiential.
3. A Museum for the People
The Qatar National Museum is a museum for the people in many ways. For one, it is open to all visitors. It also offers not just the sights to behold, but more than a handful of other activities to ensure that visitors can relax, learn and participate. For example, the Qatar National Museum has an auditorium with a seating capacity of 220. The auditorium showcases a huge variety of shows so that one’s visit is unique each time.
4. Museum Activities
Students and teachers will especially enjoy the laboratories and research centers in the museum. Visitors can even eat at the many available restaurants, including one located at a rooftop. Families will also enjoy the interactive park venue which also showcases the native plants of Qatar.
5. Maritime Tradition
The Qatar National Museum showcases, among others, the lifeblood of Doha during its earlier years; before oil and gas was discovered. Hand-built wooden dhows were used in the past to fish trade and collect precious pearls. In fact, the museum also showcases the 1.5 million hand-embroidered Gulf pearls found on the Pearl Carpet of Baroda.
The Qatar National Museum truly embodies the spirit of Qatar as it blends the modern with tradition, celebrating its history through modern immersion and visual art. Be sure to visit this museum when in Qatar.