Qatar is a modern country with a sophisticated flair that is bringing the country’s history to life through its museums and the preservation of historical sites.

The country’s newest treasure is the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), which opened on March 28, 2019, and is one of the most exciting new opportunities for travelers coming to the country. The museum is a “desert rose” and truly connects visitors with the rich history of the country. The museum’s floor plan is laid out in three “chapters” that include the Beginnings, Life in Qatar, and Building the Nation. Eleven galleries extend 1.7 miles and chronicle the times before humans inhabited the peninsula through the present day.

Jean Nouvel created the design which features an array of curved discs representing crystal clusters found in the Qatari desert known as “desert roses.” Galleries are made up of oral histories, archival images, artworks, music and storytelling, and evocative aromas add a sensory aspect to the immersive experience.

The Museum of Islamic Art

The national museum is Qatar’s most recent treasure, but its art museum is another world-class collection. The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) houses one of the best collections of Islamic art in the world. A diverse array of artwork that features paintings, glassworks, metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and manuscripts that cover several periods, including Mughal and Safavid.

The building is a work of art in and of itself, designed by IM Pei, who won the 1983 Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Guests will find rotating exhibitions, temporary shows, indoor and outdoor cafes, and IDAM, a restaurant run by a three-Michelin-star chef, Alain Ducasse.

Souq Waqif

Qatar has been a trading post since ancient times, and another way to experience it is to head to its central marketplace, Souq Waqif. Its maze of alleyways, unique architecture creates an ambiance and a sense of place for visitors looking to connect with Qatari culture. Many people come to the market for carpets, rugs, and textiles as well as Arabic coffee pots, antique silver, incense burners, prayer beads, inlaid jewelry boxes, and other handicrafts. Travelers can also venture outside of Doha to the port city of Al Wakra. Here, Souq Waqif Al Wakra offers a variety of restaurants and coffee shops and is open late into the evening.

Historic Sites

While museums are an ideal place to get to know the history and culture of Qatar and the region as a whole through the ages, travelers can get a glimpse of the past at the country’s historic sites. The Barzan Towers, located in the suburbs of Doha, was recently restored. They were initially built between 1910 and 1916 and stood 16 meters high. They likely served as a lookout point to protect local water sources and as an observatory.

Al Wajba fort is just outside of Doha was constructed in the late 18th or early 19th century where it was the site of a battle between Qatari forces and the Ottomans in 1893. It has also served as the residence for sheiks.