Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Doha, Qatar: In a stirring address, the Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani celebrated a constellation of cultural milestones at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) yesterday, launching the Qatar Creates Anniversary Season under the banner ‘Evolution Nation’.
The event marked the 50th anniversary of the National Museum, the 20th of Qatar Museums, and a cascade of other landmarks, 15 years for Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the Doha Film Institute, Qatar Culture Village, and Al-Riwaq; the 10th for the Fire Station; and the birth of the Qatar Preparatory School for Design.
“These anniversaries are not simply dates,” H E Sheikha Al Mayassa declared. “They are constellations of stars connecting us in a universe that links us to the rest of the world.” Her metaphor evoked medieval Arab sailors navigating by celestial guides, underscoring Qatar’s role as a cultural beacon.
The speech traced Qatar’s transformation from ancient pearl-diving coasts to a 21st-century creative powerhouse. “Against a backdrop of years of heritage,” she said, “Qatar’s culture has surged forward over the past 50 years, reshaping how the world sees us.” She credited the Father Amir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, for founding Qatar Museums in 2005, and the Amir, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for integrating culture into national development. “Culture is no longer a separate sphere,” she asserted. “It is the heart of our nation.”
She outlined a three-chapter cultural strategy. The first, rooted in heritage, spotlighted the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), Mathaf, and the NMoQ’s 2019 reopening within Nouvel’s architectural marvel. Current exhibitions include “I and They, Life as Architecture” at Al-Riwaq, chronicling I M Pei’s inspirations, and Mathaf’s “We Refuse”, featuring 15 artists exploring resilience. A participatory installation by Rick Lowe previews Qatar’s Venice Biennale pavilion, designed by Lina Ghotmeh.
The second chapter emphasised social development. The newly opened 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum celebrates eSports and sneaker culture in partnership with London’s Design Museum, while the forthcoming Dadu Children’s Museum will weave local and global creativity. “Creativity will become part of our children’s DNA,” she promised.
The final chapter unveiled global ambitions: the Art Mill Museum, transforming a flour mill into a creative village by Alejandro Aravena, and the Lusail Museum on Maha Islands, housing Orientalist art under Herzog & de Meuron’s design. These join Art Basel Qatar, debuting in February. “They represent the greatest migration of art in the 21st century,” she said.
Beyond museums, Sheikha Al Mayassa hailed platforms like the Fire Station (now an art school under Wael Shawky), M7’s fashion initiatives, and the Years of Culture program, which this year hosts Argentina and Chile. A lighthearted interruption—her son’s phone ringing—drew laughter, humanising the occasion. She praised architect Rem Koolhaas for the National Library and the “Countryside” exhibition, which repurposes the historic Qatar Preparatory School into a vocational design hub.
Reflecting on her 20-year journey, Sheikha Al Mayassa expressed awe at Qatar’s progress. “Every museum, archive, and hub exists to empower our people and inspire our youth,” she said. “This is our “Evolution Nation”: a culture that inspires those who dare, and a nation open to the world.”
