A quick guide to museums in Qatar

Updated February 2024

After my latest post about Qatar I have received quite a few messages from you saying that you have never considered or you had many doubts whether Qatar is worth visiting. I decided then to write a small guide to Qatar and its museums. I am glad I could dispel some of your hesitations regarding that matter. I know there is an opinion going around that Qatar (or maybe only Doha even) is just a smaller and more modest version of UAE and its famous Dubai with all the skyscrapers and cool things to do. It is however a rapidly growing place with more and more to do.

And the best part of it is that it is still not a very popular tourist destination, which comes together with ability to see a Picasso exhibition without being elbowed by other tourists or having a possibility to close encounters with actors or spot stars.

Favourite travel resources:

Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

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Qatar is small, but offers a few good museums if that’s your thing. I have prepared for you just the ones I believe deserve your attention during your holidays in Qatar. If you are interested to visit some of these museums, I’d like to recommend you download this post via GPSmyCity , so you can have access to it offline during your trip as well as follow the map without issues and necessities to use your data.

6 museums that are worth visiting in Qatar

1. Museum of Islamic Art (MIA)
This is an unbeatable number one museum that just needs to be seen. I’m quite sure that you’ve seen photos of this museum from the moment you started place a trip to Qatar. This is definitely worth a visit, even if you are not so keen on museums in general.

Apart from the the museum collection, the building on its own is quite impressive. Reserve at least a couple of hours for the museum (or more) as the surrounding park is a lovely place for a stroll. From there you will have a view of the business area of Doha (Westbay) with all the skyscrapers. If you can try to see it during the day and after sunset when all the buildings are lit up. It will give you an excellent opportunity to take tons of beautiful photos and see how the city transforms.

Entry: 50QAR for tourists, free for residents

2. Mshereib Museums

The museum is located in the centre of Msheireb Downtown Doha, the oldest part of the city. It is actually a set of four buildings that are Historic-Cultural Houses (located minutes of walking from one another), where the genuine history of the country is presented. The museums show how the country has changed over time, including the notion of slavery. It also shows a traditional Qatari life before the discovery of oil and how the country changed afterwards.

Entry: free

3. Fire Station Museum

This old fire station building was converted into a contemporary space just a few years ago and displays some very original collections. Right now you can see there an exhibition dedicated to refugees called Laundromat created by a Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei.

Entry: free or fee depending on exhibition

4. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

This museum is my second favourite, but requires a car to get to as it is located 40 minutes from Doha. This massive building in the middle of a desert is filled with thousands of items from the private collection of Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, a member of the Royal family.

Entry: QAR 20

5. Al Riwaq Exhibition Centre (gallery)

This spacious and modern gallery is located just minutes of walking from the MIA. Damien Hirst, Richard Serra and other contemporary artists exhibit their work in Al Riwaq gallery.

Entry: free

6. National Museum of Qatar

This museum is not open yet, but I thought it should be mentioned here as its architecture is so unique and beautiful. It looks like a giant desert rose on the outside and I cannot wait to see what the interior is going to look like. In this museum the visitors will have a chance to learn about early cities of Qatar and modernization of the country.

Entry: 50QAR for tourists, free for residents