Mathaf Museum: Arab Museum of Modern Art (History, Location)

Mathaf Museum Doha

The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people. Culture is the soul of a nation, a spirit that gives meaning to the lives of people in a country. Arab Museum of Modern Art or Mathaf Museum of Modern Art is a unique experience to get closer to the soul of a nation, to understand Arab modern art better.

Mathaf museum of Doha, Qatar, is a collection of different genres and art styles. If you love art or have an artistic personality, the Mathaf museum of modern art should be one of the must-go places in Doha, Qatar. The Al Mathaf museum is extraordinary, so let’s learn more about it.

Mathaf Museum Doha

Arab Museum of Modern Artis one of the important cultural attractions of Doha, Qatar. Mathaf, meaning “museum” in Arabic, was established in 2010 at Doha’s Education City.

Mathaf Museum doha collections
Image credit: Fairoozi Zadah

Mathaf museum of modern art was the first world-class museum of collections exhibiting the art of the Arab world and different genres of art throughout history.

There are more than 9000 collections in this establishment. Mathaf collection done by great Arab artists from the 1840s to the present day reveals the rich culture of the Arab nation.

Museum of modern art
Image credit: Kaosar Ahmaad

Mathaf museum of modern art is a true-to-life experience to analyze and see the evolving styles of art from different points of view.

Doha has many notable museums, but the Mathaf collection, co-owned by Qatar Museums and Qatar Foundation, is the most extensive specialized collection in Qatar. Arab Museum of Modern art invites visitors to experience and enjoy the unique modern Arab art.

History of Mathaf Museum

The initial collections of the Mathaf museum of modern art were gathered by Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed Al Thani, A Qatari artist, collector, and researcher who started building a collection in the early 1990s. H.E. Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani’s purpose was to gather art created by artists from the Arab world in a museum.

He aimed to focus on regional art and its historical and cultural connections from North Africa to Asia, including Turkey and Iran. The first space for the museum was held in two private villas in Madinat Khalifa, Doha.

Mathaf Museum History
History of Mathaf Museum | Image credit: Abdullah S Alhodaif

At that time, the idea of displaying Arab culture to the world and having a place to share its massive artistic production had developed. So, the development of the museum continued as an inspiring cultural place in Qatar.

In 2010, the museum was opened in Education City in Doha. The 59,000-square-foot museum recounted the ideas of Sheikh Hassan and his team by focusing on the contemporary art of the region.

What is unique about the museum?

Mathaf museum of Modern art displays contemporary and skilled artists who narrate modern Arabs. More than 9000 works from paintings, oils, sculptures, and other art forms demonstrate the rich heritage of the Arab world.

These excellent collections represent the major trends from the 1840s to the present, resulting in being one of the cultural attractions of Qatar. What is unique about the Mathaf Arab museum of modern art is that it explores and observes contemporary art in the region.

he exceptional collections of the Mathaf Museum | Image credit: Jinu

The exceptional collections of the Mathaf Museum embrace themes such as nation-building, post-colonialism, reconstruction, urbanization, and the oil industry. There are many art forms among the collections of Mathaf museum reflecting the social changes of the Arab world throughout history.

Mathaf museum offers visitors an opportunity to learn more about Qatar culture. Mathaf is considered one of the largest Arab museums of Modern art with one-of-a-kind collections.

Where is Mathaf museum located?

Mathaf Museum of Modern Art, located in Education City, is a unique place housing multiple educational and research institutes. Qatar Education City is home to several cultural institutions, heritage sites, start-up incubators, technology parks, libraries, branch campuses, and many other educational facilities. Qatar’s investment in Education City has provided plenty of opportunities for researchers and students.

How to get Al mathaf museum?

You can go to the Mathaf museum by car, bus, Doha metro, or tram. One of the methods is to go by metro. Education City station is the closest metro station to the Mathaf museum. Then the Blue line of the Education City tram can access it.

Mathaf Museum location
Mathaf Museum Location

If you want to arrive by car, the distance between Hamad International Airport and Education City is approximately 30 minutes. Then, you should enter through Gate 14. There are limited parking spaces available at the museum. In addition, you can reach Mathaf by free Mathaf bus services too.

End

Qatar is a new location in Asia to experience comfort and enjoyment. With plenty of tourist sites and cultural places, Qatar offers a great journey to its visitors from all around the globe.

Mathaf museum of modern art is a place where you can enjoy the art and culture of the Arab nation. The museum consists of unique collections from the 1840s to the present day and demonstrates Arab culture very well. You will enjoy visiting this museum if you appreciate art.

Are you planning to travel to Qatar? Please read things to do in Qatar article & Check out our Qatar tours, and Qatar transit tours.

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