Qatar Museums events this month aim to provide 'transformative' experiences

Qatar residents, especially Culture Pass members, stand to benefit from several Qatar Museums (QM) activities and programmes this month which aim to provide “authentic, transformative cultural experiences”.

For the month of September, Culture Pass Plus or Family members will have the opportunity to attend Fannek events – “a full month of programmes dedicated to celebrating the exciting world of public art” – such as talks, tours, and workshops, the QM said in an e-mail to Culture Pass members on Sunday.Participants can visit some of the country’s popular public art spots on Fannek’s guided tours to Qatar Foundation, Richard Serra’s iconic sculpture *East-West/West-East in the Brouq nature reserve, Katara – the Cultural Village, and the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), among others.“Public art brings colour and dialogue to the streets and buildings of Qatar. Fannek helps us highlight and celebrate the many wonderful works of art – from striking sculptures and specially commissioned photography – spread across Doha and beyond,” the QM said on its website. “This month-long programme of events offered each autumn brings you behind the scenes as you explore Qatar's immersive, informal and interactive public art scene.”According to the QM, participants also have the chance to explore art pieces, speak to artists, and “find out more about the public art scene in Qatar via talks held throughout the month”, in addition to enhancing their skills at various art workshops.Besides Fannek, the QM noted that Culture Pass also holds other programmes focusing on one theme every month such as Atharna, Menthaar, Mathafek, Marchitecture, and Turtle Hatching season.Atharna is a month-long series of activities, exhibitions and talks dedicated to the wonders of archaeology, while Marchitecture is an annual celebration of architecture and urban design, created exclusively for Culture Pass members, where participants can explore Qatar’s beautiful architecture through tours and workshops offered throughout the month of March.Menthaar, meaning “taking a closer look” in Arabic, helps participants “get involved in projects across a range of educational, cultural, environmental and historical fields, all of which are designed to give them the tools and knowledge to help build a better tomorrow”.Meanwhile, Mathafek “provides members exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the QM’s venues to gain an understanding of the inner workings of our museums and galleries”.Culture Pass members can also take part in the Architect's Hub virtual talk titled *Study Architecture? An holistic framework for a systems approach to education and practice, scheduled on September 15 at 7pm.The panel includes Dr Raffaello Furlan, head of Qatar University’s Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, and two young architects and alumni, Sara al-Sada and Heba ElGihani.Qatar residents can now virtually visit the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim (FBQ) Museum and explore unique collections with its newly launched mobile app (available for Android and iOS).“Pop-up Museum highlights and audio commentaries appear on your phone on the go during your tour at the museum.“Save your favourite items, and watch the photo galleries or listen to the audio tracks after your visit.”Culture Pass members can also claim their complimentary exhibition tickets to visit a number of exhibitions in Doha, including the Mal Lawal 3 at NMoQ (until September 15) and Beautiful Memories of Palestine at the Museum of Islamic Art Library (extended until December 31).