The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) this week opened a Digital Centre for young people, in collaboration with Microsoft, to create a space for students and a wider audience of young people to practice digital skills and learn new ways of thinking and working.
This is the outcome of a long-term partnership between NMoQ and Microsoft that further strengthens their commitment to providing innovative ways to experience museum offerings and keep up with contemporary technological advancements.
The NMoQ/Microsoft AI Digital Centre already delivered numerous sessions virtually leading up to its much-anticipated launch. Over the last year, hundreds of students across schools in Doha have participated in engaging virtual sessions on Minecraft Education, Paint 3D, Flipgrid, Hour of Code, MakeCode, Cognitive Solutions, CyberSecurity and more.
Qatar Museums Deputy CEO and NMoQ Director Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani, said they are delighted to open the Digital Centre, which she said is the first of its kind in Qatar Museums.
This co-innovation partnership with Microsoft that led to the creation of this centre reflects our long-term commitment to exploring new ways of engaging with our communities and developing interdisciplinary and creative ways of learning.
She said that such partnerships bring them closer to realising the vision to provide new platforms for creativity and innovation to all.
Encouraging participation
The opening of the Digital Centre follows the launch of NMoQ Explorer, a custom-developed solution designed to mirror the immersive interactive approach of the museum and encourage visitors’ participation and engagement with the museums’ offerings regardless of their location.
Microsoft Qatar General Manager Lana Khalaf stated that at Microsoft, they recognise that incredible, world-changing innovations often come from students. She said it is their responsibility to spark interest in STEM at an early age.
Khalaf said that with an innovative and highly engaging platform that introduces aspiring young minds to technologies like AI, IoT and gaming, kids can learn about Qatar’s social heritage and culture in a fun immersive way while developing the skills of the future.
Free creative workshops
With the launch of the Digital Centre, NMoQ is rolling out a series of free creative workshops and field trips for children aged eight to 16 years old. Running throughout the summer from June to August, the series will include:
Coding Through Minecraft (Sundays): Coding is an employable skill that teaches students to improve and refine their critical thinking skills to solve problems. Although not all students will become computer programmers by the end of this workshop, participants will acquire an understanding that will be important for other activities as well.
Cybersecurity (Mondays): In this workshop, participants will learn how to keep themselves and their community safe from cyber threats.
Design and Engineering (Tuesdays): Learn how to create your own games and applications using Microsoft MakeCode, and explore the world of STEM through hands-on projects.
Filmmaking (Wednesdays): Participants will learn the basics of storytelling, cinematography and editing as they bring their vision to the big screen.
3D and Virtual Reality (Thursdays): Explore the world with this new course on 3D design. Learn how to create stunning 3D designs and take virtual tours of amazing places from the comfort of your own home.
For inquiries, send an email to [email protected].
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