Qatar

Qatar is a heart-stirring treasure trove of art and culture like never before. With over 80 stunning public art pieces, exquisite architecture stretching up into the sky and over horizons, and sprawling museums that fuse past and present, take your time to discover our cultural riches with these insider guides. Interconnected galleries take visitors on a visual journey through Qatar, telling the story of the country from the pre-historic to the modern era. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the National Museum of Qatar draws inspiration from and recreates the naturally occurring crystal formations known as the “desert rose”. The design features interlocking disks that span a whopping 430,500 square feet and is built around Sheikh Abdullahbin Jassim Al-Thani’s original palace and seat of the government for 25 years.

One of the most widely known landmarks in Doha, the spiral-shaped Fanar building is centrally located near Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art. It can be seen from a distance, especially in the evenings when its lighting accentuates the unique design of this beautifully unique piece of architecture. Fanar was once the largest mosque in the country. While it remains a functioning mosque, Fanar also hosts religious, education-related and social activities. At the cultural centre visitors can enjoy traditional coffee and learn about the Qatari lifestyle, the country’s heritage and culture.

The world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project, Msheireb Downtown revives Doha’s old commercial district with a new architectural language. Comprising over 100 buildings with commercial and residential properties as well as retail and cultural offerings, the stunning Barahat or courtyard lies at the heart of Msheireb Downtown. It includes niche retail and a variety of al fresco dining options. The Msheireb Museums are a project by Msheireb Properties and celebrate the history of Qatar through four heritage houses in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha. The area includes entertainment venues, Qatar Academy Msheireb and four hotels, Mandarin Oriental Doha, Al Wadi Hotel MGallery, Park Hyatt Hotel and a Boutique.

Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the diamond shaped exterior of the library belies its spacious interior, which prioritizes light and visibility. The bookshelves themselves are an integral part of the building, rising out of the floor and blending into the architecture. Innovative technologies are seamlessly integrated throughout the building, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.

Located within MIA, Al Riwaq Gallery hosts exhibitions by the Qatar Museums network and has featured several groundbreaking exhibitions by artists such as Mohamed Al Mahdi, Damien Hirst, and Jaffar Al Oraibi.

Built on the site of Doha’s century old trading market, on the banks of the Wadi Musheireb, Souq Waqif feels like an anachronism, particularly against the backdrop of Doha’s dramatic modernist skyline. With its mud-daubed buildings, the market harkens to a bygone era while remaining a hub of activity, where commerce and gossip collide. Souq Waqif’s winding alleys offer a tableau of traditional street life.

Located outside the city in a traditional style fort at Al Samriya Farm, the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum houses the Sheikh’s personal collection, with a body of works including Islamic art, Qatari heritage, vehicles, handmade carpets, and coins & currency, from over four continents. These diverse and eclectic objects tell the story of the museum’s founder, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim, as well as of humanity in general.

Smoke by Tony Smith sits at the entrance of the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC). Open and inviting, profound yet serene, the giant geometric components of this 24-foot-tall sculpture dominate the space. This striking 24-foot aluminium sculpture comprises many geometric patterns. The assembled piece has five tetrahedrons, triangular pyramids with four triangular faces, six straight edges, four vertex corners, and 45 octahedrons, three-dimensional shapes with eight plane faces and eight triangular faces. Although the structure is painted black, its surface reflects sunlight and reveals shadows, making the shapes in the shadows even more conspicuous.

One of several desert forts from the 19th century, Al Rekayat Fort on the northwest coast of Qatar was built to protect water resources. Remnants of a village can be found nearby. Named after the Arabic word for ‘well’, Al Rekayat Fort contains a five km-deep freshwater well from which villagers painstakingly drew water. The fort is unusual for its low height (only three metres). Each corner of the central courtyard features a staircase leading up to one of three rectangular and one cylindrical watchtower, with expansive views of the rocky landscape juxtaposed against the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf.