Acting CEO of Qatar Museums, Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi attended the opening of an exhibition focused on agriculture at Expo House at Expo 2023 Doha, titled Traces of Qatar’s Agricultural Past.
Traces of Qatar’s Agricultural Past invites guests to journey through Qatar’s agricultural history and explore a collection of artifacts, archaeological remains, historical photographs, and satellite images. The exhibition narrates the story of food production in Qatar before the arrival of industrialised agriculture, shedding light on the challenges posed by the harsh environment and the scarcity of freshwater resources.
The exhibition is on view through 28 March 2024.
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Archaeology and Heritage Departments
Economic development as well as urban and demographic growth have had a dramatic impact on Qatar over the last fifty years. As the landscape continues to change, so do the ways of living. QM is committed to discovering, excavating, conserving, protecting, and promoting the heritage sites of Qatar, thereby taking the cultural experience beyond the walls of museums. Conservation and outreach activities of the departments play an essential role in preserving Qatar’s heritage and putting modern communities in touch with their past. The departments oversee archaeological and heritage sites all over Qatar, work with foreign and domestic research teams, and engage in collaborative projects abroad. Qatar’s archaeological and heritage sites accessible to the public include Qatar’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site Al Zubarah Archaeological Site; Barzan Towers; Al Rekayat Fort; Al Ruwaida Archaeological Site; Zekreet Fort and Heritage Mosque, and Al Jassasiya Rock Art Site.
National Museum of Qatar
The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) seeks to preserve and celebrate Qatar’s heritage and natural history, engage with its present, and inspire the country’s ambitions for the future. The museum, which opened in March 2019, gives voice to the country’s heritage and culture through commissioned films and artworks, storytelling, artefacts, and music, combining wide-ranging scholarship with oral histories of the people of Qatar. NMoQ is organised as a thematic and chronological sequence of galleries, which take the visitor on a 1.5-km journey through immersive, multisensory experiences that provide multiple perspectives. The iconic building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, is based on the form of the desert rose and is composed of large interlocking disks of different diameters and curvatures that surround the restored historic Palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani (1871-1957), son of the founder of modern Qatar. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Thani has served as director of the National Museum of Qatar since 2023.
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Future museums include Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar, Qatar Auto Museum, Art Mill Museum and the Lusail Museum.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs —that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.
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Press Contacts
Mohammed Khames Al Abdallah
+974 4402 8544
mfaraj@qm.org.qa
Julia Caira
+974 7021 5800
jcaira@qm.org.qa