alt text

I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle

Exhibition

Museum of Islamic Art

Entrance to the exhibition is free with museum admission. Museum tickets may be reserved online in advance of your visit.

Museum Hours
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Saturday: 9am–7pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9am–9pm
Friday: 1:30pm–7pm

Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Off Al Corniche St
Doha, Qatar
Find us on Google Maps

Contact Us
Tel: +974 4422 4444

This exhibition focuses on visionary architect I. M. Pei’s journey to define “the essence of Islamic architecture” and his creative process for developing the museum.

Share with a friend

I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle offers an unprecedented perspective on the internationally acclaimed architect.

I. M. Pei was commissioned in 1999 by the Father Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to design the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). Through original sketches and models, photographs and archival documents, early acquisitions from MIA’s collection, and a newly commissioned film, the exhibition traces the conception and realisation of an undeniable architectural triumph .

Jointly organised by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and the future Art Mill Museum (AMM), this exhibition is curated by AMM Curator of Architecture, Design, and Gardens, Aurélien Lemonier, and AMM Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Zahra Khan, in close collaboration with MIA Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs, Dr. Mounia Chekhab Abudaya.

Discover the Architecture of MIA

This tour is also available in Arabic. Use the language switcher button to listen in your preferred language.

This exhibition is presented at the same time as the retrospective exhibition I. M. Pei: Life is Architecture, on view at Qatar Museums Gallery – Al Riwaq from 30 October 2025 - 14 February 2026.