Anyone looking to find a complete Qatar experience should visit the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ).
Definitely a tourist hub, NMoQ is filled with family-friendly activities that include a playground and public artworks such as the Heritage Garden, the Cave of Wonders and the Nakilat Adventure Ship. It has two ongoing exhibitions – Your Brain to Me, My Brain to You by renowned Swiss artist Pipilloti Rist and On The Move, which offers a glimpse into the lives of the region’s nomadic ancestors.
For automobile lovers, the exhibition, Sneak Peak at Qatar Auto Museum on show at Mawater Gallery introduces the new museum that will bring Qatar’s car community under one roof and one mission – to drive culture forward and to inspire the next generation of innovators, designers, engineers, collectors, and policymakers through a shared passion for cars.
Made in Qatar
There is more to explore at NMoQ that will complete one’s experience of Qatar. As one enters the museum, it’s hard to miss WADHA by Qatari designer Wadha Al Hajri. The shop showcases women’s ready-to-wear labels in soft monochromatic colours embellished with Wadha’s signature geometric hand embroideries and latticework, inspired by Islamic art and architecture.
Around the premises of the museum, an array of kiosks and shops selling healthy food and delicacies are also available.
Gharissa ice cream by Ghanim Al Muftah, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ ambassador, offers a five-star ice cream experience. Gharissa is a product of Ghanim’s entrepreneurial spirit and features his mothers’ secret recipe, which helped in launching the local ice cream brand.
Rooted in Qatari heritage, Thalatheen is a fast-casual vegan café. It offers an inviting place to sit, relax and enjoy Qatari-inspired dishes. Another food shop, Desert Rose Café by Chef Nouf Al Marri, is located on the ground floor and open to both the lagoon – at the Corniche side – and the Baraha courtyard. It is sought after for its Qatari fusion cuisine.
Jiwan, an Alain Ducasse restaurant known for its contemporary Qatari cuisine and elegant interiors is on the fourth floor of NMoQ and boasts a flavourful assortment of drinks and freshly baked cakes. It has extended its hospitality with the recent opening of the Jiwan kiosk on the museum’s ground floor.
Mr Popcorn, near the Jiwan kiosk, welcomes kids and kids-at-heart with not just popcorn but easy bites and comfort food such as sweet corn, spiral potatoes, slushes, mojitos and more.
Meanwhile, at the museum’s mezzanine, Café 875 offers visitors a chance to experience the unique majlis experience with its traditional setting based on the nomadic lifestyle of the Qatari people.
At the North Playground of the NMoQ Park is the Dinara Kasko Pastry’s artful treats. There, you will also find the Nakilat Adventure Ship, where children can learn about sailing, pearling, fishing, and trading, and learn about the nation’s culture and history.
The NMoQ Park is open 24 hours and offers attractions such as the Heritage Garden featuring a number of Qatar’s plant species and scenic greenery. Within the vicinity is the Cave of Wonders and its realistic representation of an underground rocky cave where one can simply wander freely, discover places to climb, crawl and hide, and see strange glowing rocks, carvings, artefacts hidden in the sand, bats hanging from the ceiling and a giant gecko climbing up the wall.
To take a piece of Qatar with you, you can browse the extensive range of souvenirs available at the NMoQ gift shop, which includes FIFA-licensed merchandise and gifts inspired by its current exhibits.
NMoQ is open daily, from 10 am until 10 pm during the World Cup season. Visit here to learn more about their varied offerings.
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