In celebration of International Museum Day, Qatar Museums (QM) has announced that entry to its museums and galleries will be free on Sunday, May 18. QM institutions will also offer a wide range of educational activities.

“As our lifestyles, communication, and efforts to preserve our planet continue to change, museums must evolve to not only remain relevant, but to become essential components of our lives,” said QM CEO Mohamed Saad al-Rumaihi.

“International Museum Day is a great opportunity to remind us that the future of museums lies in their ability to inspire dialogue, ignite creativity, and strengthen connections between people, across borders and generations,” he added.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM), as well as all of QM' temporary exhibitions - free of charge.

International Museum Day, celebrated annually on May 18, is a global celebration of museums to emphasise their importance in promoting understanding and cultural exchange.

This year's theme, "The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Societies," focuses on how museums respond to and contribute to a world experiencing profound social, technological, and environmental transformations.

The third edition of the Qatar Photo Festival: Tasweer 2025 features eight distinctive exhibitions across Doha. Lying Between Two Seas, the main exhibition of Tasweer, at the Fire Station: Artist in Residence, is accompanied by Khalid al-Maslamani’s Mihrab, an in-depth study of places of worship in Qatar; and After the Game, which documents the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022; and Garangao 2025, a photographic tribute to authentic Qatari heritage.

'Refractions: Photography Project Awards' exhibition at Katara Cultural Village, brings together images by 18 contemporary Arab photographers who won photography project awards in 2023 and 2024. Also on site is 'Erasure: Escape from Hell: Gaza's Battle for Survival,' which presents poignant images of the ongoing war in Gaza.

At Company House in Msheireb, visitors can explore 'Entwined Lights: Stories from the Single Image Photography Awards,' which showcases 32 winning images from 2023 and 2024.

The NMoQ will host a creative workshop for children on May 18 from 9.30 to 10.30am, titled 'Design Your Own Museum Building.' Participants will base their designs on a distinctive exhibit that embodies Qatar's history, inspired by the richness of its culture, nature, and heritage. The museum will also provide a photo booth for visitors to take souvenir photos, and crossword puzzles and answer sheets will be distributed in the galleries.

NMoQ is currently hosting 'Latinoamericano: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Collection of the Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires (MALBA) and Eduardo V. Costantini,' the first major exhibition in the West Asia and North Africa region dedicated to modern and contemporary art from Latin America. This prominent exhibition will continue until July 19.

Another exhibition presented by the NMoQ is 'Design Journey with Marcello Gandini: Italy and Qatar,' which features iconic designs by the legendary Italian car designer, alongside new experimental works by students at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar.

The MIA is organising a wide range of events and activities for all ages on the same day, from 9am to 12noon. The activities are centred around five specialised stations, where visitors can deepen their understanding of Islamic art and culture, as well as learn about the museum's educational and research programmes.

At the 'Create with Islamic Patterns' art education station, visitors will participate in interactive art activities. Children will also be given an art tour to explore these patterns in the artwork on display at the museum. At the 'Read the Past, Inspire the Future' library station, visitors can participate in a creative bookmark-making workshop and learn about the museum's reading collection through an Islamic Art Book Club workshop. A selection of Islamic art books will also be on display, and children will read famous tales from Islamic heritage during story time sessions.

Other stops include 'Be a Museum Guide for a Day,' the finals of the MIA Ambassador Competition 'Voices of the Next Generation,' and 'Secrets of the MIA'. Visitors will also be able to visit the 18 permanent galleries, as well as the Al Raqeem Arabic Calligraphy Competition's winning works exhibition, which showcases the creations of elite calligraphers from around the world, reflecting the artistic and cultural significance of Arabic calligraphy as a pillar of Islamic heritage.

Visitors to Mathaf will enjoy the exhibition 'Our Spectres, Your Spectres: Promising Visions of Pioneering Cinema,' which brings together the works of more than 40 filmmakers and video artists from the Arab world, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It explores issues of exile, migration, and the complexities of transnational intersections across ten immersive sections spread across seven galleries, with poignant reflections on deserts, archaeology, borders, and belonging.

Other exhibitions currently on display include: 'You Are Close to My Soul: Qatari Art from the Collection of Abdullah bin Ali bin Saud Al Thani,' a comprehensive exhibition of Qatari art from the 1960s to the present day; 'Wafaa Al Hamad: Geography of Imagination,' a groundbreaking exhibition celebrating the forty-year career of the pioneering Qatari artist and designer; and 'Daoud Ouled Sayed: The Frontiers of the Moment,' a retrospective celebrating over 30 years of the work of the renowned Moroccan photographer and filmmaker.