The New-Look of the Museum of Islamic Art

Two structures stand out to us every time we travel along the Corniche: The National Museum of Qatar and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Since May 2021, the latter has been closed, but after months of waiting, the MIA is now welcoming tourists with a completely rebuilt interior.

Before you freak out, the I.M. Pei-designed exterior will remain intact, but visitors inside the building will have a whole different experience.

It's better to start with the architecture since it will always amaze you when you visit.

One of the city's most recognizable monuments is the Museum of Islamic Art, which stands by itself on reclaimed land.

Both the main, five-story structure and the smaller, education wing are united by a central courtyard. This courtyard is slated to appear in the upcoming Jason Statham thriller Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, which was largely filmed in the city back in January 2021, in addition to being very lovely (and totally Instagrammable).

Other stunning features include a towering domed atrium inside the main building's central tower and 45-meter-tall windows on the north side with views of West Bay.

The Museum of Islamic Art’s new look

The Blue Qur'an, the Cavour Vase, the Varanasi Necklace, the Ramayana manuscript for Hamida Banu Begum, and the Franchetti tapestry will all be on display for tourists up on level two. The Qur'an and its history, the Muslim Community, study and education within Islamic civilizations, and the spread of Islam to both Eastern and Western regions are the subjects of further galleries. The Sitara of the Holy Ka'ba, the Moroccan arch, a copy of al-treatise Sufi's on the fixed stars, the Abbasid blue-and-white bowl, the Seljuq stucco panel, the Doha Hind, and a post-Islamic Spanish ceiling are some of the highlights you won't want to miss.

From the Mediterranean in the West to the Indian Ocean in the East and beyond, Level 3 will concentrate on the 11th to 19th centuries. Three empires are highlighted in the major galleries: the Safavids in Iran, the Mughals in South Asia, the Ottomans in Turkey, and most of the Arab world. The MIA's collection of Mughal jewels, Sassanid carpets, Ottoman Iznik porcelain, and tilework, as well as weapons and armor, are all on exhibit in these galleries. The museum that studies hospitality also includes a newly preserved interior from a Damascus residence dating to the 19th century.

Soon will be arriving at the Museum of Islamic Art

Baghdad: Eye's Delight will be on display in the temporary gallery at the Museum of Islamic Art beginning on Wednesday, October 26.

The exhibition will begin with a focus on the Abbasid dynasty (750-1258) and analyze its influence throughout the world up until the modern era in an effort to highlight Baghdad as a political, economic, and intellectual center.

Museum of Islamic Art Park

Due to its unrivaled views of the West Bay skyline and Availability 24 hours a day, MIA Park is one of our favorite spots to hang out in the city.

In addition to the vista, the park has restaurants and food trucks, and you can register for a paddleboarding tour of the museum while you're there.

Naturally, the MIA Park is home to a number of works of public art, with Richard Serra's 7 being the most prominent. The commission piece pays homage to the number 7, which has spiritual importance in Islam, using seven steel plates, and was personally proposed by architect I.M. Pei.

This article was previously published on qatarmoments.To see the original article, click here