The opening of the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) comes at a historic moment after a decade of hard work, that helped to build a lot of relationships and friendships with people here in Qatar and in many parts of the world, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Board of Trustees, has said.
"We have not limited our imagination during these years and we have given hope that every visitor to this place from inside or outside Qatar will see what he or she expects," HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said at a press conference on the sidelines of the opening of the NMoQ on Wednesday.
HE Sheikha Al Mayassa welcomed the guests, noting that the visitor will be making a journey through the history of Qatar from ancient times to the modern era, reflecting its diversity and vitality and openness to the world.
"The pieces and antiques from ancient times come together with modern collections that are becoming more glamorous and sophisticated in the spectacular interactive galleries that we envisioned with Her Excellency Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim al-Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar and her team, as well as Qatar Museums Trustees, members and experts from many universities in Qatar and beyond," she said.
HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said the National Museum of Qatar reflects Qatar's origins and modernity. The stunning building, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, houses the renovated palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani.
The roots of the Qatari people are deep in history. "But our country is still a young country, so it is not surprising, when building our national museum, to fly away from the models of old museums, and to build a monument speaking in the language of the present and the future", HE Sheikha Al Mayassa noted.
In the same context, she pointed out that the international museums of the 19th century used to house strategic collections.
"We believe that the museums of the 21st century depend on a more creative way, turning from just a place to store holdings and exhibits to a platform to build relations and open the horizons of dialogue, adding that visitors will find this vision applied in the National Museum of Qatar in a number of spaces such as garden and educational halls and museum programmes designed for all categories and cultures."
She also pointed out that the emphasis has been placed on the preparation of teachers to use the museum to teach all subjects including mathematics, history and geography.
Sheikha Amna said: "Having spent more than a decade planning and implementing this edifice, we are very proud today to welcome the Qatari people and our guests from all over the world in this exciting interactive museum that offers the visitor a multi-level experience.
"From the very first moment, Qatar Museums, together with the National Museum of Qatar team, realised the need for a live experience for our people, a museum with a vibrant heart."
