A guide to Qatar’s best museums

Until Qatar was named the host of the 2022 World Cup, the Arab nation wasn’t exactly on many tourist’s radars, so you’d be forgiven if you were unaware of the country’s rich history. From Bedouin tribes reliant on seafaring and pearl diving for their livelihoods to a wealthy petrostate becoming a major player on the world’s stage, Qatar’s transformation has certainly been dramatic.

There’s no better place to learn about it than at Qatar’s modern museums, which cover everything from the earliest archaeological finds and the impact of Islam to modern art and culture. Below, we’ve rounded up the best museums in Qatar. Top tip: Many of Qatar’s top museums and galleries are connected by the free Mathaf bus, which runs between Mathaf: Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, and the Fire Station art gallery.

The best museums in Qatar

Having been designed by world-renowned architect I.M. Pei, the Museum of Islamic Art is a work of art in its own right. Standing apart from the rest of the Doha Corniche on reclaimed land, the striking building is split into two parts: The five-storey main building, and an adjacent education wing. In the former, you’ll be able explore the museum’s collections by passing through the light-filled atrium, centered around a stunning curved double staircase, while the courtyard connecting the two buildings is a popular spot for photographs, with views of the West Bay skyline in the distance. Film buffs may recognise the museum from Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023), which was partially shot in the city in 2021.

As for the collection, the Museum of Islamic Art covers the entire Islamic world, from the Arabian peninsula it is situated in to Central Asia, southeast Asia, and Al-Andalus. Alongside paintings and sculptures, you’ll be able to see ceramics, jewellery and clothes, dating from the 7th until the 20th century, with an entire gallery dedicated to Qu’ran manuscripts. Be sure to explore the adjacent park, which is home to 7 by Richard Serra, a piece consisting of seven steel plates in a nod to the significance of the number in Islam.

More information: Closed Wednesday. mia.org.qa.

Read next: 8 of the best things to do in Qatar

Another architectural masterpiece, the National Museum of Qatar was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. Meant to mimic the shape of a desert rose, a kind of crystal formation found in salt basins across the region, the structure takes the form of a series of intersecting discs. Blending the old with the new, you’ll find Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani’s original palace at its centre.

Through its galleries, you’ll learn about the formation of Qatar and its archaeological treasures, its flora, fauna and native animals, as well as the history of its Bedouin tribes and how they survived in the Arabian peninsula’s harsh environment. The National Museum of Qatar also covers the pearling trade, a mainstay of the economy until the 1930s, and the discovery of oil, running right up until the modern day, with a section on the blockade between 2017 and 2021.

For those who want to experience the food of Qatar, Jiwan on the fourth floor offers a modern spin on Qatari food, with dishes such as margoog, madroba and majboos rice, alongside magnificent views of the skyline. While originally British, afternoon tea is incredibly popular in Doha, and Jiwan’s offering adds a Qatari touch to the tradition, should you be visiting after 3pm.

More information: Closed Tuesday. nmoq.org.qa.

Read next: A culinary guide to Qatar

While the Museum of Islamic Art’s collection covers up until the 20th century, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art focuses on more contemporary works. The only museum of its kind, there are more than 9,000 works in the collection, which are displayed thematically rather than chronologically. The permanent displays touch on topics such as changing societies, with pieces from various post-colonial nations shown alongside works from 1950s revolutionary Egypt and beyond, and the development of abstract art outside of the western world.

Located in Education City, you’ll be able to hop on the free-to-use tram to get to the metro station, or to visit nearby attractions like Qatar National Library or the Torba Farmer’s Market, which is held every Saturday during the winter months.

More information: Closed Monday. mathaf.org.qa.

Coming soon

Art Mill Museum

Due to open in 2030, Qatar’s upcoming Art Mill Museum is being built on the site of a former flour mill dating back to the 1960s. Covering works from 1850 onwards, the ambitious project will ‘represent the modern and contemporary arts of all regions of the globe on an equal basis’, with paintings, sculpture, photography, fashion, film and more. Chilean studio ELEMENTAL, led by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alejandro Aravena, are behind the design. qm.org.qa.

Lusail Museum

Set to open on Lusail’s Al Maha Island in 2029, Lusail Museum will be devoted exclusively to exploring Orientalist art, with the largest collection in the world. The museum will confront stereotypes formed around Arab identity as a result of these works, and how they continue to influence perceptions in the modern day. qm.org.qa.