The National Museum of Qatar features an innovative design by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel that is inspired by the desert rose. The museum is built around Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani’s original palace – his family home and seat of the government for 25 years, which has a unique historical significance for the State of Qatar.

The National Museum of Qatar will celebrate the culture and heritage of Qatar and its people, embodying the pride and traditions of Qataris while offering international visitors a dialogue about rapid change and modernisation. The museum will honour the traditions of the past, while embracing the future of Qatar through exhibitions, educational activities, cultural site visits, and technology-based programming.

The museum is one of the most significant cultural projects in the country and also one of the most ambitious museums projects of its kind, anywhere in the world. The local community is, and will always be the main focus of all future activities of the museum.

Key facilities

  • Caravanserai courtyard
  • 12 museum galleries with two additional galleries designed to house temporary collections
  • Auditorium (220 seats) 300 sq to be used for special events such as music, movie viewing, lectures and story readings.
  • Café (100 seats) overlooking the main lobby.
  • Desert rose gallery (85 seats) located at the midpoint of the museum at carnavansari level.
  • Two Museum gift shops.
  • Heritage research center, which is a research library open to both students and scholars.
  • Two restoration/conservation laboratories for collection processing and storage.
  • Facilities for school groups and special guests
  • Administrative offices for approximately 150 staff.
  • Landscaped park with children playground activities.
  • Two outdoor coffee shops (kiosks).

Design and space

  • Designed by Jean Nouvel, it evokes the life of the Qatari people between the desert and the sea.
  • The interlocking discs are inspired by the desert rose.
  • The space will be a thriving hub for the public, students, and museum professionals.
  • It will redefine the role of a cultural institution, fostering a spirit of participation and providing the conditions for discovery to thrive.

Qatar Museums has scheduled a total of 50 tours taking place through 21 August. The tours are open only to Culture Pass members who sign up online.