Sightseeing and things to do TABLE OF CONTENTS — p. 3 CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS — p. 14 SHOPPING — p. 16 NATURAL LANDMARKS — p. 17 POINTS OF INTEREST — p. 18 DESERT TRIP — p. 19 WATER ACTIVITIES — p. 20 SAILING Cultural Attractions NATIONAL MUSEUM OF QATAR Jutting out at the start of the Corniche is Qatar’s extraordinary new national museum created by the famous architect Jean Nouvelle. It is symbolically placed at the starting point of your journey into the heart of downtown Doha. The site also hosts the previous historic home to the son of the founder of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani. The museum opened its doors to the public on March 28 of 2019. A portion of the site of the new museum is dedicated to the extensive restoration of the former palace of Jassim Al Thani, built in the early 1900s. The interior of the national museum tells the story of Qatar in three distinct chapters: Begin- nings, Life in and Building the Nation. Presented across 11 galleries, the visitor’s chronological journey, which extends on more than 1.5km, starts in the geological period, long before the peninsula was inhabited by humans, and continues to the present day. The museum also hosts a number of special programmes and events. More infos Admission QR 50 for adults (standard ticket) Free for children under 16 QR 25 for students (50% discount) Opening hours Sunday to Wednesday: 9am - 7pm Thursday and Saturday: 9am - 9pm Friday: 1:30pm - 9pm Last ticket: One hour before closing from Sunday to Wednesday. One hour and a half from Thursday to Saturday.» Address Museum Park St, Doha, Qatar The National Museum of Qatar is located on Museum Park Street across from the Corniche in Doha, Qatar. Limited parking is available on-site on a first come, first served basis. Tel: +974 4452 5555 3 Cultural Attractions MATHAF MUSEUM ARAB MUSEUM OF MODERN ART The Mathaf Museum of Modern Arab Art opened in 2010 in Education city and hosts regular exhibitions of contemporary art with a permanent collection of regional art and design. The museum is part of Qatar Museums, led by H.E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Mathaf hosts exhibitions, education programs and events that explore and celebrates modern and contemporary art while offering an Arab perspective on international art. The Mathaf collection includes over 9000 works today, making it the world’s largest specia- lised collection of its kind. Address Education City - Qatar Foundation Gate 1, off Al-Luqta Street, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 4402 8855 / 8830 Opening hours Monday: closed Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday: 11am - 6pm Friday: 3pm - 8pm Admission Free admission to the permanent collection exhibition. QR25 for temporary exhibitions. Free entry for students and children under 16 to all exhibitions. More infos 4 Cultural Attractions MSHEIREB MUSEUMS Msheireb Museums includes four restored heritage houses in the Msheireb reconstruction area of Doha: Bin Jelmood House, Company House, Mohammed Bin Jassim House and Radwa- ni House. These are all located within easy walking distance of each other. Each small museum has a different focus. Bin Jelmood House focusses on the history of the Arab slave trade. Company House has arti- facts, videos and information about the start of the oil and gas trade in Qatar. Mohammed Bin Jassim House gives the history of Msheireb and plans for the future. Radwani House is a traditional home. Address Mohammed Bin Jassim Street, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 800 3642 Opening hours Monday to Thursday: 9.00am - 5.00pm Friday: 3.00pm - 9.00pm Saturday: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sunday: Closed Admission Free admission More infos 5 Cultural Attractions MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART The stunning Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei, famed for his modern wing of the Louvre in Paris, is an icon for art, culture and heritage, housing precious works from more than 200 years of Islamic civilization. The Museum of Islamic Art represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years. MIA is the flagship of Qatar Museums, which under the leadership of its Chairperson H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, is transforming the State of Qatar into a cultural capital of the Middle East. MIA sheds light on our origins to illuminate our future. Through safeguarding masterpiece collections of Islamic art and showcasing extraordinary exhibitions, MIA shares knowledge, spreading curiosity, understanding, and joy. Address Doha Port, Corniche, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 4422 4444 Opening hours Tuesday: closed Sunday, Monday, Wednesday: 10.30am - 5.30pm Thursday, Saturday: 12pm - 8pm Friday: 2pm - 8 pm Admission Free admission More infos 6 Cultural Attractions KATARA CULTURAL VILLAGE Katara Cultural Village serves as a guardian to the heritage and traditions of Qatar and en- deavours to spread awareness about the importance of every culture and civilization and as such, Katara hosts international, regional and local festivals, workshops, performances and exhibitions. The Cultural Village Foundation is an exceptional project of hope for human interaction through art and cultural exchange. Keeping pace with the emerging global culture that em- phasizes the importance of diversity in human development, Katara Cultural Village is the largest and the most multidimensional cultural project of Qatar. Address Al Moasses street, Doha, Qatar Tel: 974 4408 0000 Opening hours Exhibition: 9am - 11pm Katara Beach: 9.30am - 5pm Admission Village: Free entrance Katara beach n°3 (Gate 1&5): Adults - 25 QR, Children below 16 - Free Katara beach n°4: Families only - free entrance More infos 7 Cultural Attractions SHEIKH FAISAL BIN QASSIM AL THANI MUSEUM (28km from Doha City center) This Museum holds enormous cultural importance in Qatar and internationally as it reflects the journeys taken by Sheikh Faisal, as well as his passion for creating a fascinating experience for the public to enjoy and a valuable resource for education. The Sheikh Faisal Museum holds a large diversified collection of unique and extraordinary artefacts from over 4 continents. The world class collection contains pieces from the Jurassic age through to the early Islamic period and up to the present day, across four themes: Islamic Art, Qatar Heritage, Vehicles, and Coins & Currency. Address Al Samariyah, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 4486 1444 Opening hours 9am - 5.30pm Closed on Fridays and Sundays Admission Free admission More infos 8 Cultural Attractions BARZAN TOWERS (23km from Doha City center) Barzan Towers, known as the Umm Salal Mohammed Fort Towers, are watchtowers that were built in 1910 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani. They are located at the southern side of the defensive system established at the end of the 19th century and start of the 20th cen- tury to protect the ‘Raudah’, a valley where precious rainwater is collected when it flows down from higher ground. Opening hours 24 hours and visitors just need to sign in at the gate. Address Located in Umm Salal, Doha, Qatar 9 Cultural Attractions EAST-WEST / WEST-EAST BY RICHARD SERRA (80km from Doha City center) Richard Serra’s public art has always been driven by a desire to take sculpture off the pedestal and on to the streets. This breathtaking sculpture in the Brouq nature reserve spans over a kilometre and comprises four steel plates, each over fourteen metres in height. To guarantee perfect alignment, Serra examined the topography of the land and beautifully enhanced the vast, desolate space in the heart of the desert. The result is spectacular and although modern, timeless. Address Brouq nature reserve, Qatar Opening hours All day Admission Free entrance 10 Cultural Attractions AL ZUBARAH FORT (100km from Doha City center) Al Zubarah was a thriving pearl fishing and trading port. Now it’s Qatar’s largest heritage site, with its impressive city wall, ancient residential palaces and houses, markets, industrial areas and mosques. It’s one of the best-preserved examples of an 18th and 19th century Gulf merchant town and in 2013 was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Address Madinat Ash Shamal, Qatar Tel: +974 4442 4771 Opening hours 8am – 4 pm Closed on Friday mornings Admission Free admission More infos 11 Cultural Attractions AL KOOT FORT Al Koot Fort, most commonly known as Doha Fort, lies in the center of the city of Doha and was built in 1880 by the Ottomans as a police post. It was built on a slight elevation in the proximity of a dry waterbed known as Wadi Musheireb. This waterbed used to be a gathering place where Bedouins and locals would trade a variety of goods, primarily livestock goods. This gathering place grew into what is now known as the Souq Waqif. From 1906 on the fort was used as a prison. In 1915 the fort was abandoned by the Ottomans. In 1927, the dilapidated Turkish fort was rebuilt by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani into the Al Koot Fort we see today. As a result of the building activity, the inside of the fort might not be accessible to the public. Address Ukaz St, Doha, in the Souq Waqif neighberhood. 12 Cultural Attractions AL RAKAYAT FORT (94km northwest of Doha) The fort of Al Rakayat, north west of Doha, is one of several desert forts dating back to the 19th century, and one of the few that were renovated during the 1980s. A freshwater well sits in the fort and the scattered remains of a village can be found nearby. Al Rakayat is the Arabic word for ‘well’ and it’s believed that the fort was built to protect the essential sources of water in the area. It is typical of desert forts, with three rectangular towers and one cylindrical one.