This fall, Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, will present two groundbreaking exhibitions devoted to the life and career of the architect behind the Museum of Islamic Art, I. M. Pei (Ieoh Ming Pei [1917–2019]), one of the most influential architects of the past century. I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, presented in collaboration with M+ Hong Kong, at ALRIWAQ, is the first full-scale retrospective of Pei’s seven-decade career. I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle, jointly organised by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and the future Art Mill Museum (AMM), is an in-depth exploration of his design for one of Doha’s most celebrated landmarks. Opening to the public on 30 October 2025, the exhibitions will offer an unprecedented dual perspective on the internationally acclaimed architect.
Curated and organised by M+ in 2024, the travelling exhibition I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture brings together more than 400 objects, including original drawings, architectural models, photographs, films, and archival documentation from institutional and private holdings that reveal Pei’s unparalleled vision. His projects had an extraordinarily global reach, from the National Gallery of Art’s East Building in Washington, D.C., to the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Each of these works features prominently in the exhibition. Tracing Pei’s life and work against the complex geopolitical realities and cultural legacies of the 20th and 21st centuries, I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture offers the fullest presentation of his work ever assembled.
Sheikha Reem Al Thani, Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubayia Qatar at Qatar Museums, stated, “Qatar Museums is honoured to host I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, a landmark exhibition offering profound insights into the life and impact of one of the most influential architects of the modern era. We are grateful to M+ Hong Kong for their pivotal role in bringing this exhibition to Qatar, exemplifying international collaboration and the exchange of ideas across cultures. By presenting Pei’s work within our evolving cultural landscape, Qatar Museums reaffirms its commitment to advancing global dialogue in art and architecture. Additionally, we are excited to announce a series of architecture workshops with esteemed architects and universities. These workshops will provide unique educational opportunities, fostering a deeper understanding of architecture's transformative power and its capacity to shape both space and society.”
I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art focuses on the architect’s journey to define “the essence of Islamic architecture” and his creative process for developing the Museum, commissioned in 1999 by the Father Amir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Through original sketches and models, photographs, archival documents, early acquisitions from MIA’s collection, and a newly commissioned film, the exhibition traces the conception and realisation of MIA.
Speaking of I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art, Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, Director of MIA, said: “The culminating masterpiece that I. M. Pei created for our museum has been a source of wonder and inspiration for everyone who has stepped into its breathtaking spaces and is now a symbol of Doha recognised around the globe. We are deeply grateful to all the contributors to this exhibition, and especially to our colleagues at the future Art Mill Museum, for enabling us to tell the story of a building that is now essential not only to our museum, but to the world.”
The two exhibitions, on view through 14 February 2026, will be accompanied by robust public programming that includes talks by architects and scholars, curator-led tours, workshops, and activities for families and school groups. Together, they offer a rare opportunity to encounter the full breadth of I. M. Pei’s creative legacy, from his transformative global practice to his lasting imprint on Qatar.
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture is organised into six thematic sections, exploring how Pei worked in various social, cultural, and biographical contexts.
The sections are:
● Pei’s Cross-Cultural Foundations, showing how Pei’s upbringing and education enabled him to reconcile multiple sources of influence across cultures and between tradition and modernity.
● Real Estate and Urban Redevelopment, unveiling a lesser-known phase of Pei’s career as a real estate developer with the firm Webb & Knapp in New York City. It explores his contributions to mixed-use planning, housing, and urban revitalisation projects in the United States in the 1960s, and subsequently beyond American borders.
● Art and Civic Form, introducing Pei’s museum designs and frequent collaborations with artists, from Henry Moore to Zao Wou-Ki. This section demonstrates his belief in museums as civic spaces and dialogue between contemporary art and architecture.
● Power, Politics, and Patronage, revealing how Pei—with his technical mastery, ingenious problem-solving, and sensitivity to client needs—became a trusted collaborator for high-profile commissions that drew both immense support and public controversy throughout his career.
● Material and Structural Innovation, illustrating Pei’s innovations in materials and construction methods, especially with concrete, stone, glass, and steel
● Reinterpreting History Through Design, examining Pei’s long-standing interest in making modern architecture relevant to different histories, traditions, and ways of life, particularly those related to his birthplace. This section also explores how Pei distilled cultural and historical archetypes into formal and spatial solutions for contemporary needs
Organised with the support of the Estate of I. M. Pei and Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the architectural firm Pei founded, the exhibition is curated by Shirley Surya, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+, and Aric Chen, currently the Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, London. I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture was initiated by M+ and first held in Hong Kong from June 2024 to January 2025. It later began its world tour at Power Station of Art in Shanghai from April to August 2025, and concluded with more than 163,000 visitations.
Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, “I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture reflects seven years of rigorous research and dedication, culminating in the first full-scale retrospective of Pei’s visionary legacy. The exhibition first opened at M+, Hong Kong, in June 2024. We are delighted by the resounding success of the exhibition’s first touring presentation in Shanghai, and we are proud to continue its journey in Doha in collaboration with Qatar Museums. The exhibition in Doha has special resonance due to one of Pei’s most significant projects, the Museum of Islamic Art, which exemplifies his profound sensitivity to place and culture. This touring partnership underscores our commitment to sharing Pei’s legacy globally, fostering meaningful cultural dialogues and inspiring new audiences in alignment with M+’s mission.”
I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle
I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art takes visitors behind the scenes of one of the 21st century’s most celebrated architectural achievements. This exhibition is curated by Aurélien Lemonier, Art Mill Museum Curator of Architecture, Design and Gardens and Zahra Khan, Art Mill Museum Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, in close collaboration with Museum of Islamic Art Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs, Dr Mounia Chekhab Abudaya. The exhibition traces the creative journey Pei took as he sought to distil the “essence of Islamic architecture” into the design of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), an institution that signalled Qatar’s arrival on the global cultural stage when it opened in 2008.
Through architectural models, archival documents, historic artworks, and newly commissioned film interviews, I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art offers an unprecedented look at the bold vision and meticulous craft that shaped an enduring icon of the Gulf.
The presentation unfolds across seven sections, beginning with rarely seen materials from the 1997 International Architecture Competition, held to select an architect for the Museum of Islamic Art, including drawings and archival photographs of proposals by Zaha Hadid, Charles Correa, and Rasem Badran. Qatar’s leadership ultimately persuaded Pei to come out of retirement to take on the commission. His search for inspiration took him across the Islamic world, culminating with a visit to the ablution fountain of Cairo’s Ibn Tulun Mosque, a geometric progression from square to octagon to circle that became a guiding principle for MIA’s design.
On view in the exhibition are paintings and photographs from Qatar Museums collections depicting historical sites that informed Pei’s vision, and which he studied thoroughly. These include a 19th century watercolour, The Gateway at Fatehpur Sikri, and an albumen print by Nasser al-Din Shah, The Tomb of Zobeidah the wife of Harun Al Rashid. Additional highlights include a presentation of Pei’s original sketches and early models, rediscovered in his New York office and gifted by The Estate of I. M. Pei to Qatar Museums. Among them are the intricately detailed Sectional Model of MIA and the Partial Facade Model of the Main Entrance of MIA, revealing how the architect translated concept into form.
The story of the building is interwoven with the story of the MIA’s impressive collection throughout the exhibition. When Pei was first approached, the collection was still being assembled; in just a few years, Qatar had assembled masterpieces from across the Islamic world. The exhibition brings together some of these early acquisitions which particularly highlight the breadth and depth of art from across the Islamic world and the vision of MIA; presenting the “essence” of Islamic Art. On view are a 10th century astrolabe, one of the earliest recorded in the world, from the collection of the renowned collector Jassim Al-Homaizi; a finely carved Norman ivory chess piece (12th century) from Sicily; an elegant mosque lamp made for Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad bin Qala’un in 14th century Cairo and MIA’s notable copy of the Kitab suwar al-kawakib al-thabita (The Book of Fixed Stars) by ‘Abd-al-Rahman Al Sufi.
The final sections explore the prefiguration exhibitions held in the years prior to the Museum’s completion, the Museum of Islamic Art’s 2008 opening and the museum’s lasting impact on Doha, the region and internationally. A large-scale model of MIA Park and a model of Richard Serra’s iconic sculpture, 7, both gifts of The Estate of I. M. Pei, reflect on the Museum’s role as both a cultural landmark and a public gathering place.
Public Programmes
Launching alongside the exhibitionI. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture is Architecture and Design – Turning Vision Into a Universal Dialogue, a series of programmes that mark Qatar Museums’ new platform for architectural discourse. Through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, screenings, and academic collaborations, it creates a global workshop where architecture is celebrated, debated, reimagined, and projected into the future. Led by prominent figures such as Philippe Starck, Lina Ghotmeh, and Herzog & de Meuron, the programme fosters hands-on learning, cross-cultural dialogue, and experimentation. Developed with international and regional universities, it welcomes students and the wider public, aligning with major cultural events like Qatar Creates, Art Basel, and Design Doha, and connecting Pei’s legacy to the questions shaping architecture today.
In addition, a vibrant line-up of public programmes including curator-led tours, workshops, storytime sessions, planet teens, and more - will be hosted at MIA and ALRIWAQ to complement both the exhibitions.
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture and I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle are presented as part of Evolution Nation, an 18-month campaign honouring Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years, since the founding of the National Museum of Qatar. Curated by Qatar Creates, the national movement positioning Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity, Evolution Nation highlights both the nation’s cultural milestones and its aspirations for the future. Years of Culture celebrates Pei’s transcultural vision, with his Museum of Islamic Art in Doha standing as a symbol of cultural exchange between Qatar and the world.
NOTE TO EDITORS
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture
30 October 2025–14 February 2026
Qatar Museums Gallery – ALRIWAQ
Organised by M+ in collaboration with Qatar Museums
I. M. Pei and the Making of the Museum of Islamic Art: From Square to Octagon and Octagon to Circle
30 October 2025–14 February 2026
Museum of Islamic Art