Qatar celebrated International Museum Day with a variety of events, including panel discussions and workshops. Qatar Museums also granted free entry to museums and galleries.

An array of Qatar institutes ushered International Museum Day (IMD) on May 18 with topical panel discussions, workshops and other programmes to mark the annual event.

Qatar’s Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) will host a ‘Shapes and Structures’ workshop on Wednesday. Open to people of all ages, the workshop invites participants to explore the interplay between Islamic art and 3D structures found in architecture.

Adam Williamson, an award-winning sculptor, is collaborating with MIA to run the workshop in celebration of IMD.

Taking to Instagram, Shaika Al Nassr, MIA’s director, said on Saturday that under the leadership of Qatar Museums’ chairperson, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, MIA has become “a centre of knowledge and inspiration to bring Islamic art and civilizations to life for visitors, and for future generations.”

Al Nassr’s colleague, Salem Abdullah Al Aswad, the deputy director of MIA’s Education and Community Awareness department, said in an interview with Qatar News Agency that “the Museum of Islamic Art strives continuously to develop programs that align with educational curricula.”

Bolstering education and access

Since 1977, the annual IMD has been spearheaded by the International Council of Museums (ICoM) in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This year’s theme is “Museums for Education and Research.”

“Museums serve as dynamic educational hubs, fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. In 2024, we acknowledge their contribution to research, providing a platform for exploration and the dissemination of new ideas. From art and history to science and technology, museums are vital spaces where education and research converge to shape our understanding of the world,” the ICoM said.

This was echoed by Abdulla Yousuf Al Mulla, the director of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.

“The museum is a cultural and educational centre, and a space for preserving the great heritage we have achieved through hosting international championships and tournaments,’ he said.

In the run-up to IMD, on Thursday, the sports museum hosted a specially curated panel discussion. Joining Al Mulla, fellow panellists Samira Al Harami, a nurse school supervision expert from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Latifa A Al Meghaissib, head of the art education department at Qatar University, and Othman Khunji, assistant director of recruitment and admissions at Virginia Commonwealth University, creativity, and education within the museum setting.

On the occasion of IMD, Qatar Museums granted free entry for all to its museums and galleries on Friday and Saturday.

Speaking to local media, Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi, CEO of Qatar Museums, said that this drive was just about “access; it’s about encouraging each of us to seize the opportunity to discover something new and immerse ourselves in the wonders of art and culture”.