The rolling of a ball will be the ideal pretext to enter the fascinating culture of a country that promises to welcome with open arms all those who visit it motivated by their passion for sports. Qatar 2022 will be this year’s sporting event. However, between matches, between goals, it wouldn’t hurt to learn a little more about the host country of the World Cup. And what better option than its museums and art galleries.
The fact that the FIFA World Cup will be held for the first time in the Middle East is already a historic event in sporting, social and cultural terms. It is also historic that for the first time the tournament will not be played in the middle of the year but in the final months of the year: November 20to December 18.
Thus, those fortunate enough to experience Qatar 2022 live from the Middle East have the luxury of briefly pausing their soccer euphoria to take a cultural bath to better understand, comprehend and enjoy all that the host country of the upcoming FIFA World Cup has to offer.
The cultural offer of Qatar 2022
Surrounded by the aroma and mesmerizing panorama of the desert, Qatar 2022 can be enjoyed in many ways. Not only through the 64 matches that will reveal who is the new king of world soccer. Even if you were in the host country for the 27 days of this prestigious tournament, you wouldn’t have enough time to delve into the magnificent Arab culture.
The FIFA World Cup is the ideal pretext to recreate the spirit with spectacular Arabic calligraphy or products made from the ancient techniques of Al Khous or Al Sadu weaving, goldsmithing and jewelry, henna body art or magnificent plaster engraving.
There are also the unavoidable visits to the Souqs, traditional markets in alleys and central places of Qatar where you can find all kinds of typical products such as food, jewelry, textiles, perfumes, handicrafts and souvenirs. Or how about the sublime urban sculptures such as Gandhi’s Three Monkeys, the Desert Horse or the Maman.
A Souq in Doha. (Hermes Images/AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Museums and Art Galleries in Qatar 2022
And of course, the congregation of many of the aforementioned cultural products in enclosures that like trunks treasure jewels of the host country culture of the upcoming FIFA World Cup: the various museums and art galleries. Below you will find some of the most interesting options to visit during your stay in Qatar 2022.
Al Markhiya Gallery
If you are looking for an insight into the modern art of Qatar, this is your best option, as this private collection exhibits works by multiple artists from the Arab world. Paintings, portraits and avant-garde sculpture are what you will enjoy. It is located in the heart of Doha, nine kilometers from the city center.
Stadiums near: 974 Stadium – Khalifa International Stadium, 9 km / Al Thumama Stadium, 12 km
Price: Free
Qatar is full of art you must enjoy. (Niccolo Guasti/Getty Images)
Museum of Islamic Art
It was closed for remodeling and is expected to reopen before the FIFA World Cup. In it you can find pieces worked in metal, ceramics, jewelry, woodwork, textiles, coins and glass. This museum is enjoyable from its architecture itself as it was designed to give the impression of being an island of culture in the full skyline of the West Bay.
Stadiums near:974 Stadium, 4 km
Price: Free
Museum of Islamic Art. (Kevin Phillips/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
It opened its doors in 2010 and since then, it has been responsible for being the bridge between more than 9,000 pieces of art from the Arab world. Its collection ranges from 1840 to contemporary works. Paintings, sculptures and more works that aim to narrate the Arab world from the perspective of its artists. It is located in the heart of the Education City center in the municipality of Al Rayyan.
Stadiums near: Education City Stadium, 1.5 km / Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 9 km
Price: Free
Mathab Arab Museum of Modern Art. (visitqatar.qa)
Msheireb Museums
Located in the heart of Doha’s Msheireb Downtown, the oldest area of the Qatari capital, this cultural center stands as the great memorial of Qatar’s history. It is made up of four heritage houses that together narrate the key characters and periods in the history of the host country of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Stadiums near: Stadium 974, 6.5 km /Khalifa International Stadium, 10 km
Price: Free
One of the houses of the Msheireb Museum in Qatar. (visitqatar.qa)
National Museum of Qatar
An experience that enraptures all the senses. It was built in the area formerly destined for the palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani, which served as the seat of the Qatari government for 25 years. Its architecture was inspired by the natural crystal formations known as the desert rose. It will take you on a journey through the evolution of this country from prehistoric times to the modern era.
Stadiums near: Stadium 974, 3.4 km /Al Thumama Stadium, 12 km
Price:14 dollars (adults), 7 dollars (students), child age of 16 and under, free
National Museum of Qatar. (Rubina A. Khan/Getty Images)
Souq Waqif Art Centre
If you are looking to soak up traditional Islamic and Middle Eastern art, this will be your favorite place. Located in the heart of Doha’s central market, it offers workshops and studio spaces for new generations of Qatari artists to refine their talent.
Stadiums near:Stadium 974, 6.7 km / Khalifa International Stadium, 11 km
Price: Free
Arabic Calligraphy. (Rubina A. Khan/Getty Images)
