Museum of Islamic Art

About this place

The Museum of Islamic Art brings manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, jewellery and scientific instruments from across the Islamic world to Doha's waterfront. I. M. Pei designed the geometric limestone building on a purpose-made island, drawing on historic Islamic architecture without copying a single monument. Objects such as mosque lamps, an early astrolabe and calligraphic works let visitors connect Qatar with centuries of artistic and intellectual exchange. A tourist can use the displays to connect individual objects with the larger changes that reshaped Qatar: pearling and maritime trade, family and domestic life, the arrival of oil, state formation and rapid urban growth. Allow time to read labels and compare materials, dates and provenances instead of viewing the collection only as decoration. Temporary exhibitions and access arrangements can change, so checking the venue before travelling is sensible.