Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar’s cultural beacon

Recently restored as a preamble to the 22nd FIFA World Cup, its exhibition space collections span 1,400 years of history, and its corridors display works as far back as the seventh century, according to their mid-tour specialists.

Manuscripts, ceramics, textiles and precious stones appear in the catalog of the art gallery, which since 2008 has served as a platform for dialogue and international exchange connecting East and West, as if weaving a play in search of purpose.

Designed by architect Ioh Ming Pei, the installation integrates pieces collected on three continents, thanks to the impulse of the government organization Qatar Museums, responsible for the redesign measures that were carried out.

The collection includes some of the most famous Islamic glassware in the world, including prominent goblets, medieval vases and brightly colored mosque lamps. Among them are pieces that date back to the Mamluk era, central to the history of Egypt and Arab-Islamic civilisation. VIII century.

Likewise, visitors are attracted by the selection of kitchen utensils and tile panels, which testify to the essential role of ceramics in daily life, while nearly 800 Qur’anic manuscripts underscore the importance of this document in the region.

In this sense, the famous Abbasid Blue Mushaf, one of the most wonderful and rare works on the Islamic scene, or the well-known five pages of the Timurid Baysungur Mushaf, the largest Mushaf in the world, also stands out as texts on science, literature and religion.

Weapons, armor, scientific instruments, household objects, carpets, costumes, and fabrics stand out in the collection of the institution’s museum, whose massive library contains a catalog of more than 21,000 texts.

One of the museum’s areas of interest focuses on children’s development, which is why it offers a wide range of resources for children, including stories and volumes on art history and a diverse agenda of art activities and a leisure park, among other proposals.

With panoramic views of the city’s coastline, the building in Doha joined Qatar’s ambitious plan to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of visitors who flood its streets in the middle of the World Cup, in an effort to express culture and sport.

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