Museum of Islamic Art

Designed by world-renowned architect I.M. Pei, the Museum of Islamic Art is an architectural masterpiece rising from the sea off Doha’s Corniche.

Completed in 2008, the stone-clad museum is composed of a five-story main building and a two-story education wing connected by a central courtyard. Inspired by the geometric patterns and aesthetic details found in the art and architecture of the Muslim world, it is an iconic structure that bridges the ancient and modern world.

The Museum is composed of two cream colored limestone buildings, a five-story main building and a two-story Education Wing, connected across a central courtyard.

The main building's angular volumes step back as they rise around a 5-story high domed atrium, concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. An oculus, at the top of the atrium, captures and reflects patterned light within the faceted dome.

On the north side of the Museum a 45 meter tall glass curtain wall, the only major window, offers panoramic views of the Gulf and West Bay area of Doha from all five floors of the atrium.

The museum houses a collection of works gathered since the late 1980s, including manuscripts, textiles and ceramics, spanning from the 7th to the 19th century. It is one of the world’s most complete collections of Islamic artifacts, with items originating in Spain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, India, and Central Asia.