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When was the last time you built a boat, made your own navigation tool, and then used both to chart a journey?At the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival, now underway at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), children and families can do exactly that. Through hands-on activities inspired by Qatar’s maritime heritage, the festival connects Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with the knowledge and skills once used by sailors across the Arabian Gulf.One of the festival’s key activities is the NMoQ Roots of Routes zone, where participants make traditional tools including a model dhow and a kamal, a simple celestial navigation device once used by sailors to determine their position at sea.The journey begins with building a dhow. Participants can choose from three traditional types, each associated with different aspects of maritime life in Qatar and the Gulf.The Al Jalbut was commonly used for pearling, coastal fishing and transportation between coastal settlements. The Sanbouk was similarly used for pearling and fishing and remains familiar today through traditional dhow cruises along Doha’s Corniche. The Boom was designed for long-distance trade and transporting heavy cargo, including timber.After assembling their chosen dhow, participants move on to creating a kamal. Made from a small rectangular board attached to a cord, the kamal was used by sailors across the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean to estimate latitude by measuring the height of stars above the horizon. Participants learn how knots positioned along the cord correspond to different measurements, with facilitators guiding them through the process.According to NMoQ, the activity introduces children to an early form of celestial navigation, showing how sailors could use observations of the night sky and relatively simple equipment to travel considerable distances across the sea.Once their kamal is ready, participants put their new navigation skills to the test on a large floor map.They select one of three missions — Yellow, Green or Blue — and begin their journey aboard their chosen dhow. Using the kamal, participants determine a latitude reading and follow a series of clues before identifying the correct destination on the map. Their handmade dhow is then placed at the location they have calculated.For families, the activity turns concepts such as measurement, geography, astronomy and engineering into something that can be experienced first-hand.Rohit Gupta attended the festival with his family, including his daughter, Adhika, and joined her in making a dhow and kamal.He told Gulf Times that the activity is a fun way for children to learn while making something themselves, adding that the family planned to return to try another navigation mission.Apart from Roots of Routes, the festival features activities designed for different ages across several areas of the museum.The STEAM Lab includes the DADU Light Atelier for younger children and the ExxonMobil Research Qatar x DADU – Mangroves Lab, which introduces marine biology through activities inspired by Qatar’s coastal environment.Programmes are also taking place at NMoQ’s Digital and AI Centre and Library. These include Evolution of Navigation workshops, a Teen Tech Takeover focused on creating augmented-reality filters, a Silk Road board game, and storytelling sessions that introduce younger visitors to navigation, traditional boats, and maritime journeys.For older participants, Café Scientifique: Careers in STEAM connects young adults aged 16 and above to conversations about education and future career pathways in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.Running until November 28, the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival gives families the chance to encounter scientific ideas through familiar stories from Qatar’s heritage, from constructing a traditional dhow to learning how generations of sailors once looked to the stars to find their way home. 

The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), in collaboration with ExxonMobil Qatar, has launched the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival, open from 27 August to 28 November.The festival will take place at NMOQ's Temporary Exhibitions Gallery 2 and presents a new approach to learning by connecting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) through Qatar's rich heritage. Spanning multiple museum spaces, the initiative combines hands-on experimentation, interactive workshops, and scientific-based activities designed to link modern enquiry with the nation's culture, environment, and history.CEO of Qatar Museums Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi said: "The festival brings a fresh approach to how we use museum spaces for learning and discovery, creating opportunities for young audiences to learn, experiment and develop new skills. We are pleased to continue our partnership with ExxonMobil Qatar and to give young audiences new ways to learn within the museum."HE Director of the National Museum of Qatar Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Thani said: "At NMoQ, STEAM learning begins with the stories, knowledge, and environments that have shaped Qatar for generations. At the ExxonMobil STEAM Festival, we invite children and families to learn about the work being done to restore Qatar’s natural heritage and uncover the science and ingenuity behind the rich maritime heritage of the Arab world. By connecting past knowledge with future possibilities, we hope to inspire the next generation of critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and engaged citizens.""We believe education is one of the most important investments we can make, and initiatives like this advance children’s and families' learning through exploration while connecting with the heritage and traditions that shape Qatar’s identity," said Vice President and Manager of Public and Government Affairs at ExxonMobil Qatar Rashid Al Hajri. "By supporting STEM education and community engagement, we are proud to contribute to the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030."A primary anchor of the festival is The STEAM Lab, featuring zones customised for different age groups. Highlights include the DADU Light Atelier for young children, the ExxonMobil Research Qatar x DADU - Mangroves Lab centred on marine biology activities, and the NMoQ Roots of Routes zone, where visitors will be building traditional tools like the kamal (a traditional celestial navigation device) and dhow boats.The STEAM Festival extends across the National Museum of Qatar, with programmes taking place at the museum's Digital and AI Centre, and Library. Activities will include Evolution of Navigation workshops, a Teen Tech Takeover focused on creating augmented reality filters, a Silk Road board game, and storytelling sessions introducing younger audiences to navigation and traditional boats, and STEAM Storytelling Sessions.In addition to family activities, the festival will host Café Scientifique: Careers in STEAM, connecting young adults aged 16 and above with industry experts to consider about professional pathways across multidisciplinary fields.

Participants in Qatar Youth Hostels’ (QYH) Tourist Guide Training Programme are gaining first-hand experience of the country’s cultural and heritage landmarks as they prepare for careers in the tourism sector. As part of the programme’s second, practical training phase, participants visited the National Museum of Qatar in collaboration with Qatar Tourism. The field visit introduced them to the museum’s collections, galleries and diverse narratives documenting Qatar’s history, heritage and transformation.The visit allowed trainees to deepen their knowledge of one of Qatar’s leading cultural attractions while developing the skills needed to engage professionally with visitors and present the country’s heritage accurately and engagingly. The field experience reflects QYH’s commitment to combining classroom-based learning with practical exposure. By visiting major cultural and tourism sites, participants can connect theoretical knowledge with real-world guiding experiences and gain a deeper understanding of the destinations they will eventually present to visitors.The Tourist Guide Training Programme aims to develop a new generation of qualified young professionals who can contribute to Qatar’s growing tourism sector and strengthen the role of national tour guides. Through specialised training, field visits and direct engagement with Qatar’s cultural, historical and tourism attractions, the programme equips participants with essential guiding, communication and visitor-management skills.The programme will continue with a series of practical activities and field visits designed to broaden trainees’ experience and help them translate their knowledge into professional skills.By placing young people at the heart of the training process, QYH is helping prepare knowledgeable and confident guides who can introduce visitors to Qatar’s heritage while contributing to the country’s evolving tourism landscape. 

Families and visitors flocked to the National Museum of Qatar and cultural sites across Doha, as Qatar Museums reopened its indoor venues to the public on the second day of Eid al-Fitr.The reopening, which takes effect from March 21, covers all of QM's major institutions, including the Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. During the Eid period, all venues will remain open daily through March 27 — including on their otherwise regular closing days — before returning to standard operating hours the following week.Indoor spaces including galleries, cafes, and retail outlets are fully accessible, while outdoor heritage and archaeological sites remain temporarily closed. Staff are on hand across all locations to assist visitors, with safety measures in place throughout.Standard opening hours across QM venues run Saturday to Thursday from 9am to 7pm, and Fridays from 1.30pm to 7pm. Regular weekly closures apply after the Eid period: Mathaf closes on Mondays, the National Museum of Qatar and 3-2-1 Museum on Tuesdays, and the Museum of Islamic Art on Wednesdays.Visitors can find the latest updates on QM's official website and social media channels. 

The President of the Transitional Presidential Council of the Republic of Haiti, Anthony Frank Laurent Saint-Cyr, and his accompanying delegation visited the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) on Monday.The visit came as part of his participation in the Second World Summit for Social Development, scheduled to convene on Tuesday.During the tour, Saint-Cyr viewed the museum's most prized collections across its various galleries and received a comprehensive briefing on its precious treasures, which span multiple eras.He was accompanied by HE Director of the National Museum of Qatar Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Thani.

A stockpile of more than 350 letters and correspondence, dating back to 1975, provided the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) with the intimate and untold story of its founding, highlighted at a major exhibition celebrating the institution’s 50th anniversary.“The biggest discovery (during the research and planning stage) for us who work in the museum were the correspondence, old letters which we found in the storage of our museums,” NMoQ’s Research and Collections deputy director Dr Abdullah Mohammed al-Sulaiti told reporters.He said that when they opened the box and discovered the old, the hidden letters came as a shock, a find that allowed them to piece together the story of the old museum.The exhibition, titled “A Nation’s Legacy, A People’s Memory: Fifty Years Told running until February 7, 2026”, traces the museum’s evolution from its inception in 1975 as the first national museum in the region to its reinvention in 2019 in the iconic structure designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.Such discovery, Dr al-Sulaiti added, offers a raw, firsthand account of the huge logistical and technological challenges faced by the museum’s original architects and curators.“We understand exactly what they are thinking and the difficulties of doing that project at that time,” he said. “There is no Internet, there is no e-mail, there is nothing (of that sort).”“They only have telephone and Telex, it’s a very old machine at that time,” he said, pointing out the contrast with modern communication.Dr al-Sulaiti said that the documents show that early museum staff often had to travel extensively to collect information and objects, highlighting the rigorous dedication required in the pre-digital era.The exhibition begins at Temporary Gallery 13, guiding visitors through the museum’s history from its establishment, an idea initiated in 1972 by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, to its present state.The mission was, and remains, to collect and display the history, traditions, and natural environment of Qatar.The Qatar National Museum officially opened in 1975 within the Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Palace, the restoration of which earned the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1980.Key historical artifacts are on display, including some of the newly discovered correspondence.Highlights include the brass opening piece from the 1975 inauguration, displayed next to a photograph of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa.The exhibition also features contemporary re-creations of beloved features from the original site, such as the famous Earth Dome.According to Qatar Museums, the exhibition weaves together personal stories of individuals who contributed to the museum’s legacy alongside archival photographs that trace its role in chronicling Qatar’s national transformation.The exhibition also showcases the work of artists Shouq al-Mana and Khalifa al-Thani, whose pieces reflect national identity and resilience.Among these is Khalifa al-Thani’s Pearls Don’t Lie on the Sand, which transforms the traditional dhow into a luminous sculpture symbolising discovery.A major feature is Yousef Fakhoor’s installation, Echoes of time, The Four Doors.Using sound, light, and video, the piece unfolds a poetic journey through Qatar’s past, present, and imagined future.Each of the four symbolic doors invites reflection, bridging generations by presenting moments in time, from a young girl’s whispered prayer in 1975 to a vision of Qatar in 2050.

The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) has unveiled “Lehmesa: Return by Moonlight”, an immersive exhibition that explores the life cycles, habitats, and ecological significance of Qatar’s sea turtles.The exhibition focuses on the endangered Hawksbill turtle, the only sea turtle species that nests on Qatar’s beaches, and reflects the nation’s natural endowment.The exhibition was inaugurated by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums (QM), in the attendance of QM chief executive Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi, NMoQ director Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Thani and other dignitaries.Taking its name from the local term for a sea turtle, “Lehmesa” celebrates the resilience of the Hawksbill turtle, and reflects the nation’s commitment to protecting its biodiversity.On view from today until February 7, 2026, the exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the NMoQ, a milestone that honours five decades of preserving and sharing the nation’s cultural and natural legacy.Through six immersive sections, “Lehmesa: Return by Moonlight” traces the Hawksbill’s journey from land to sea, offering visitors a sensory-rich experience inspired by Qatar’s coastlines, coral reefs, and marine habitats.Blending environmental science with creative interpretation, the exhibition features works by London-based artist Josh Gluckstein and encourages visitors to reflect on their role in sustaining the balance of the natural world.As part of the exhibition’s public programming, the NMoQ will host a series of events, workshops, and educational activities in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) and Qatar University.These initiatives are aimed at deepening public understanding of marine biodiversity and conservation, engaging families, students, and communities in hands-on learning experiences that highlight the importance of Qatar’s coastal ecosystems.“Lehmesa: Return by Moonlight” is presented as part of Evolution Nation, an 18-month campaign honouring Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years, since the founding of the NMoQ.Curated by Qatar Creates, the national movement positioning Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity, Evolution Nation highlights both the nation’s cultural milestones and its aspirations for the future.The exhibition explores the turtle within the context of Qatar’s identity, aligning with the Years of Culture initiative, which shares Qatar’s cultural heritage with partner nations.

Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani unveiled the major retrospective “A Nation’s Legacy, A People’s Memory: Fifty Years Told” on Thursday, marking the official kickoff of the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ)’s 50th-anniversary celebrations across Doha. The celebration featured the recognition of major donors, the prestigious Anniversary Awards Dinner, themed *Recognising Evolution – A Journey from Tradition to Tomorrow, and the “Taste Evolution: Collaboration Dinner”, presented by Qatar Creates. **media[373167]** The opening was attended by QM chief executive Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi and NMoQ director Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Thani, among other dignitaries and guests. “A Nation’s Legacy” chronicles the NMoQ’s journey, from its establishment in 1975 as the region’s first national museum to its reinvention in 2019 as a cutting-edge experiential institution housed within an iconic building designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. **media[373173]** According to the QM, the NMoQ’s 50th-anniversary festivities began on October 22 with a symbolic voyage of the historical dhow Fateh Al Khair. Bearing the museum’s logo, the dhow sailed along the Doha Corniche, serving as a visual narrative of continuity, resilience, and transformation. **media[373169]** The ceremony was enhanced by cultural maritime performances, featuring renowned Qatari singer Munsoor al-Muhannadi, highlighting the museum’s role as a vital bridge between past heritage and future generations. “For half a century, the NMoQ has safeguarded the legacy of our nation and our national treasures while continually developing new means of storytelling through the latest advances in technology,” Sheikh Abdulaziz said in a press statement. **media[373168]** “With ‘A Nation’s Legacy, A People’s Memory: Fifty Years Told’, we invite audiences to join us in celebrating the institution’s remarkable record of honouring our heritage while imagining what is to come.” NMoQ Research and Collections deputy director Dr Abdullah Mohammed al-Sulaiti told reporters during the press preview that extensive public programming will form part of the exhibition, aimed at nurturing creativity, learning, and cultural participation across all age groups. Key among these initiatives is “NMoQ Late: Our Heritage, By Young NMoQ”, which aims to empower teenagers by offering creative expression opportunities, after-hours access, and culturally relevant initiatives. This effort seeks to position the museum as a vital “third space”, a welcoming environment where youth can connect, collaborate, develop skills, and build a sense of ownership within the community. The QM added that the NMoQ’s learning and outreach programmes, such as workshops, educational activities, and immersive experiences, will further connect audiences with Qatar’s heritage. Specialised culinary initiatives like collaborations with Chef Noof, Desert Rose, and cooking classes at Jiwan will explore food as a living heritage, demonstrating how traditional practices are preserved, adapted, and celebrated today. These programmes will transform the exhibition from a historical survey into a vibrant, interactive journey celebrating Qatar’s past, present, and future. The QM noted that the anniversary celebrations included a special tribute dedicated to the significant donations that have enriched the QM’s collections and sustained the preservation of the nation’s cultural heritage. These gifts were highlighted as a reflection of deep civic pride and the shared commitment of individuals, families, and institutions to safeguarding Qatar’s legacy. The celebrations also featured a live musical performance from Dana al-Meer and Hala al-Emadi, who reflected Qatar’s evolving national identity through a lively fusion of traditional Arabic and modern sounds. It concluded with “Taste Evolution: The Collaboration Dinner”, a culinary experience crafted by Chef Noof al-Marri and QC+’s Michelin-starred Chef Jeremy Cheminade, blending authentic Qatari flavours with contemporary techniques.