Discover Qatari culture through the arts, heritage and traditions of the country's most beautiful museums and monuments.

A leap into history at the Qatar National Museum

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Qatar National Museum will open in 2019 on Doha's Corniche. The 40,000 m² building boasts a spectacular design reminiscent of a sand rose with giant petals interspersed throughout. The 350-metre-long building is in fact criss-crossed by 539 random, intertwined discs that give it its emblematic shape. It's a real technological feat!

Through its 11 galleries, the museum encompasses the collections of the restored former royal palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani, around which it is built. Visitors can discover a wealth of archaeological and heritage objects, and learn more about Qatar's ancient and contemporary history and traditions, such as pearl fishing, with over 1.5 million pearls on display! It's a fascinating place, with a scenography that promises many surprises...

Islamic art at the MIA

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha is the work of Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei, who designed the famous Louvre pyramid. This superb building has an intriguing curiosity: at the very top, two openings resemble the eyes of a veiled woman. No matter where you are in Doha, you have the impression that she is staring back at you...

Spread over four floors, the MIA houses one of the world's largest collections of Islamic art, spanning 14 centuries of artistic history. Permanent and temporary exhibitions showcase astonishing pieces from the four corners of the globe. There are 18 galleries in all, so it's impossible to show them all, but don't miss the Shahnameh manuscript, the planispheric astrolabe and the carved emerald plaque!

Craftsmanship as a common thread

On the banks of the Wadi Musheireb in Doha, the Souq Waqif is one of the city's nerve centres. Wandering through the winding alleyways, you feel transported back in time as the capital's skyscrapers peek out from behind the traditional mud-clad buildings. Here you can find everything from spices and souvenirs to local handicrafts. One part is even dedicated to falcons and another to stables.

Don't hesitate to stop for a moment at the pearl shop run by a former pearl fisherman, who will tell you how Qatar was once a pioneer in the pearl industry, and you can admire (or buy) some magnificent jewellery. If you prefer gold, head to the Gold Souq: necklaces, elaborate headdresses, everyday items... you'll always find what you're looking for! Gold jewellery is particularly important in Middle Eastern traditions.

A Mecca of Qatari art

The streets of Souq Waqif fill up after dark. Groups sometimes take over a street or square to give a cultural performance. If you visit Qatar during Eid, you'll probably be lucky enough to witness street performances or parades in traditional costumes to the sound of cymbals and tambourines! But whatever the period, art is everywhere in the Souq Waqif, with every open courtyard often an excuse to set up an exhibition.

Right in the heart of the market, the Souq Waqif Art Centre is a must for all art lovers. Inside, artists from near and far offer their works for sale, often inspired by Islamic and Middle Eastern art. Visitors can watch them at work in their studios and even join them for a class. The building itself is well worth a visit, with its splendid woodwork and colourful lanterns.

Discover the local gastronomy

With its thousand-scented spice stalls, restaurants and street vendors, the Souq Waqif is the perfect place to learn about Qatari cuisine. The country's specialities are generally based on grilled mutton or chicken accompanied by rice and salad. You can quench your thirst with tall glasses of tea and enjoy kunafas or baklavas for dessert.

Getaway to the Katara cultural village

North of Doha, the Katara Cultural Village aims to be a bridge between Qatar and the rest of the world. Every building in the area is dedicated to culture, from the Al Thuraya planetarium to the Greek-style amphitheatre and the many art galleries and artists' studios. Throughout the year, the village organises cultural events featuring artists from all over the world: find out more about the programme here.

Two mosques stand proudly in the Katara cultural village. The resplendent Golden Mosque is decorated with fine golden tiles that reflect the sun's rays. The more imposing Katara Mosque is decorated with Persian and Turkish motifs. Nearby, its traditional dovecotes contrast with the Doha skyline. Shopping centres, restaurants and beaches provide welcome breaks from the heat.

Immersion in modern art at the Mathaf

Located in the heart of Doha's Education City district, the two-storey building housing the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf) originally housed a school and was renovated by French architect Jean-François Bodin. The museum's permanent collection features over 9,000 works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Temporary exhibitions are regularly added to this already extensive range.

The paintings, sculptures, calligraphy and other contemporary works on show at the Mathaf are moments in the history of the Arab world frozen in time, seen through the eyes of the artist. Unusual socio-political themes such as post-colonialism and the oil industry are explored, shattering our Eurocentric preconceptions. We come away with a new vision of the Arabian Peninsula.

Public works not to be missed

In Qatar, art is not just to be found in museums. In Doha and throughout the country, there are many public works by sometimes very famous artists. Their discovery begins as soon as you arrive at Hamad International Airport with Tom Claasen's 8 Oryx installation, the oryx being Qatar's national animal. Next door is Dia al-Azzawi's Flying Man, a set of two sculptures paying tribute to aviation.

Also at the airport, Urs Fischer's Lamp Bear is a giant teddy bear evoking childhood. Jean-Michel Othoniel's Cosmos is an artistic interpretation of the astrolabe on display at the MIA. As you leave the arrivals hall, you pass Desert Horse by Ali Hassan Al-Jaber, an assemblage of the Arabic letter ن in several forms representing a desert horse.

In Doha, don't miss Ahmed El Bahrani's The Challenge 2015, which the artist describes as "larger-than-life hands reaching for the sky". Louise Bourgeois's incredible Maman, depicting motherhood and strength, may not appeal to arachnophobes, however, who can fall back on Sara Lucas's Perceval, depicting a draught horse, or Subodh Gupta's Gandhi's Three Monkeys, reminiscent of Gandhi's metaphor of the three monkeys.

Richard Sierra's more sober 25-metre steel tower, 7, emphasises the importance of the number in Islamic culture. For our part, we have a soft spot for Damien Hirst's The Miraculous Journey, which illustrates the development of a foetus through 14 sculptures. But our favourite work is undoubtedly Lorenzo Quinn's The Force of Nature II, which represents Mother Nature making the world go round.

Other works worth a look include Smoke by Tony Smith, the Thumb by César Baldaccini and Enchanted East by Dia al-Azzawi. There are also numerous murals throughout the city. But let's move away from the capital for a moment to discover East-West/West-East by Richard Serra. In the heart of the desert, four 14-metre steel slabs emerge from the rocky ground, inviting us to reflect on solitude and the passage of time.

Al Zubarah Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

In the north-west of Qatar, the coastal city of Al Zubarah enjoyed its heyday at the end of the 18th century as an important pearling and trading centre. However, the town fell into disrepair in the 20th century and was gradually covered by desert sand. The Al Zubarah fort, on the other hand, is still standing. Built in 1938, it is characterised by its square shape, with circular towers and a rectangular tower. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.

Other forts to discover for a step back in time

Although not listed by UNESCO, the forts of Al Thaqab and Al Kayak are also well worth a visit. Just a short drive from Al Zubarah, they both date from the 19th century and are wonderfully well preserved. Approaching them, you immediately feel transported back 200 years or more as you discover the archaeological relics and artefacts on display.

Built in the early 1800s, the fort at Zekreet was used for defensive purposes. Admittedly, it is less well preserved than the aforementioned forts, but it is the only one in the west of the country! If you don't feel like travelling that far, you can visit the Al Koot fort in the heart of Doha. Once a police station and then a prison, it is now a museum of traditional Qatari crafts.