Msheireb Museums (MM) is celebrating its third anniversary, having “cemented its position as a major cultural and touristic destination in Qatar with an exceptional list of accomplishments achieved since opening in 2015”.
On this occasion, Msheireb Museums — the cultural destination at Msheireb Downtown Doha – has added a new collection of artefacts to its premises to “enrich the museum’s existing collection”, which is now on display for guests to visit.
Since its opening three years ago, MM has received around 80,000 visitors from Qatar and the wider region, as well as tourists and students of schools and universities, according to a press statement.
“Since its inception, Msheireb Museums has made huge progress in terms of attracting visitors, winning awards and gaining recognition, thanks to its distinctive and rich programmes of events and activations, and partnerships with prominent institutes and academic organisations.
In addition to its touristic role, Msheireb Museums has enhanced its position as a leading educational and scientific landmark, acting as a reference for students and professionals on the history of Qatar; exploring its journey to modernism and the present day,” the statement notes.
The museums also won many local and international awards from prominent art and culture institutes, adding to the global recognition of the wider cultural and touristic offering of Qatar.
Hafiz Ali, director of MM, said: “Today, we mark a new step in the creative and development plan, which is part of the journey to transform the museums into the top cultural and heritage destination in Qatar and the region. I would like to thank Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, for her vision and support in founding Msheireb Museums, which is helping preserve our heritage and history as a country. Her leadership has played a fundamental role in making this project a success.”
“We are proud to announce that a new collection has been added to our houses, and thank those who donated the pieces, to be enjoyed by the people of Qatar and international visitors.”
Ali also thanked employees and volunteers at Msheireb Museums and the Msheireb Properties management.
Msheireb Museums is a significant milestone for Msheireb Properties in realising the vision of Msheireb Downtown Doha, Qatar’s first sustainable and smart city regeneration project.
The museums celebrate the history of four historic heritage houses in the heart of Doha — Bin Jelmood House (raising awareness of formerly enslaved people), Company House (sharing a history of Qatar’s petroleum industry), Radwani House (providing insights into the Qatari family life over generations), and Mohamed Bin Jassim House (a journey through Msheireb district over time).
Located within the oldest district of the capital, they form an important part of Qatar’s national history.
These reconstructed buildings and gallery spaces allow the community to engage with and learn about significant aspects of Qatar’s heritage, culture and traditions prior to the country’s rapid economic development.
MM encompasses four heritage houses that have been renovated and equipped with interactive modern technology, taking visitors on a journey to the past in which they can experience history in an interactive and engaging way. Visitors are given the opportunity to provide feedback and give their opinions through commenting on interactive screens, surveys and social media channels, and the museums management always responds to feedback and takes it into consideration to improve the overall experience.
Along with the galleries, Msheireb Museums includes special departments for scientific and educational courses and training, creating an entity with comprehensive services that assists tourism, entertainment, and education under one roof.
In line with its mandate to support youth and culture, MM provides full support to entrepreneurs and volunteers who are willing to organise exhibitions or offer new artistic ideas.
Additionally, Msheireb Museums has built strong connections with academic institutions, regularly collaborating with universities, colleges, and research programmes to ensure better engagement with the museums’ offerings and content. Visitors also have access to the valuable digital resources of Qatar National Library.
Msheireb Museums also has strong connections with the community; the people of Qatar are major contributors, donating collections to the museums and helping in the process of documenting the country’s history.
Many from the older generation have visited the museums to document their memories as part of drive to obtain verbal historical source material, ensuring that these precious, unique and personal experiences will not be lost.
Msheireb Museums launched a programme last year, geared towards activating the tourism sector.
The ‘Msheireb Museums Friends’ programme is a mutually beneficial volunteering scheme that aims to train teachers and educational leaders the skills required to become tour guides in museums, enhancing their ability to lead student tours.
Many organisations took part in the initiative, including Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Youth Center, in addition to school teachers from national and international schools.
Msheireb Museums has received many awards, acknowledging its role and position since opening in 2015.
Bin Jelmood House recently won an award in the category of ‘Green Cultural Building’ at the 2018 Qatar Sustainability Awards. Internationally, Msheireb Museums was recognised by the International Committee for Education and Cultural Action (CECA), winning the ‘Best Educational Practice Program’ award for the Bin Jelmood Educational Programme during the 2018 CECA Conference and Awards event.
In 2018, the site was also included on the Royal Institute of British Architects list of the world’s best new buildings.
Msheireb Museums has hosted many exhibitions and conferences that add great value to the cultural scene in Qatar.
Last year, MM hosted the ‘Back to Msheireb’ Exhibition in Mohamed Bin Jassim House, which documented Msheireb’s transformation into a centre of commercial activity and an intercultural crossroads for people of diverse origins between the years 1980 and 2009.
Earlier this year, ‘We are the daughters of Qatar’ exhibition aimed to raise awareness on the role of women during the pre-oil era of discovery and reflected on the various social and economic changes made throughout history to enable women’s empowerment.
These exhibitions, organised by UCL Qatar, give students the opportunity to get involved in the educational experience of the museums.
They also have the chance to organise their own fully-fledged conferences and exhibitions in the museums.
Msheireb Museums also added a permanent exhibition titled ‘A Journey to the Heart of Life’, located at Bin Jelmood House.
The exhibition is a collaboration between MM and biomedical research institutions, including Qatar Genome Programme, Qatar Biobank, Sidra Medicine and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar.
International Museum Day was celebrated by hosting workshops, presentations and a panel discussion in collaboration with CECA.
“These programmes act as a vital platform to support various educational initiatives of the museums. They aim to keep the research process on Qatar culture and its history alive and play a major role in motivating the younger generation to improve their understanding of Qatar,” the statement adds.