Dugong exhibition extended until September 1

The ‘Seagrass Tales, Dugong Trails’ exhibition has been extended until September 1, giving residents and visitors the chance to gain a deeper understanding of this shy marine mammal that has inhabited Qatar’s waters for over 7,500 years, it was announced.The exhibition, taking place at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) and presented by Qatar Museums (QM) in collaboration with ExxonMobil Research Qatar, “introduces dugongs and their habitat through fun facts and interactive exhibits”.NMoQ, in a recent Instagram post, said the show also highlights “the important work of scientists studying dugongs in Qatar and how they can protect them and their environment through both science and everyday actions”.According to QM, the exhibition aims to present dugongs as “an important part of the Qatari marine ecosystem”. “In Qatar, fossils of dugongs dating back to the Miocene period (23mn to 5mn years ago) were found in an area spanning from south Al-Kharayej to Al Eraiq.”Visitors are required to wear facemasks and show the green health code on the Ehteraz app as part of the museum’s safety protocols. It is open from Saturday to Thursday between 9am and 7pm, and on Friday between 1.30pm and 7pm. Tickets must be purchased online in advance.QM also presents another unique exhibition titled ‘Beautiful Memories of Palestine’ at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Library, showcasing books from MIA’s Rare Book Collection, which are “largely published in European languages as travel journals, stories and histories, depicting a great fascination for the Arab world”. It will run until September 30.While visiting NMoQ, car enthusiasts can also explore a number of collections at the Mal Lawal 3 exhibition: from classic vehicles to several other items such as weapons, jewellery, clothes, maps, ethnographic articles, manuscripts, Islamic currencies and artifacts, heritage articles, antiques and accessories, in addition to the stories of 28 Qatari collectors, including Salem Saeed al-Mohannadi and Omar Hussain Alfardan. “Following the success of the 2012 and 2014 editions, Mal Lawal 3, a temporary exhibition celebrating local collectors, is currently on view at NMoQ. Sponsored by Ooredoo and running until the end of July, the third edition of Mal Lawal – ‘of the past’ in Arabic – focuses on the stories and personal collections of more than two dozen Qatari collectors, highlighting their passion for art, culture and heritage,” QM said in an email to Culture Pass members.Meanwhile, the Doha Fire Station welcomes visitors to its ‘Grey Times’ exhibition until August 27, presented at a challenging moment “due to the global outbreak of Covid-19 and its unprecedented impact”.“Adapting to the current pandemic engulfing the world and its repercussions, Grey Times presents works that were devised under these uncertain times. Just like everyone else, the artists involved in the residency programme this year had to shift their focus and priorities, on a personal and professional level, developing and reworking their pieces to reflect the present situation and its challenges,” QM said.