MIA to reopen in fall 2022

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is preparing to open its doors to the public in its new look in fall 2022.Last year, Qatar Museums (QM) launched a project to renovate the galleries and interior spaces of the building.In an interview with local Arabic daily 'Arrayah', MIA director Dr Julia Gunilla said: “We can't wait for the museum to open its doors again to the public with its new design and new stories.”“We worked on this project to keep the museum as beautiful as it was before,” she said. “However, it will carry in its new form a new message, where it will be closer to the family and tell the story in a whole new way.”“We will talk about history, about the period of the beginning and spread of Islam, and about religion. Then we will embark on a journey that will take us from east to west, or from west to east, according to the place in which we grew up,” Dr Gunilla added. “To learn more about the various regions of the Islamic world, and understand the correct context of the pieces of art.”She confirmed that “the MIA is one of the most beautiful museums in the world, where people come for coffee and relaxation, or simply to accompany their visitors from outside Doha, but the exhibition halls lacked an attractive story”.“Now we are researching with visitors the best options for labels, art pieces, and family itineraries,” Dr Gunilla said.About the goal of the project, she said: “The vision of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the QM, is her willingness to involve children in this journey.”“It keeps children occupied, fully engaged, and brings their attention to the heart of the matter,” she added.The MIA director revealed that all the exhibition halls will have a new mobile app with the aim of helping visitors from inside and outside Qatar to explore the heritage.She added: “It's very important to realise how reactive we are to the different sensations behind it all. In this context, we will have stations for inhaling various scents, listening to recitations from the Holy Qur’an, as well as excerpts from the famous Iranian epic *Shahnameh and pre-Islamic poetry.”“In addition, we will have objects to touch as well, as we seek to broaden the horizons of this new experience to the fullest,” Dr Gunilla said.She pointed out that the Department of Education and Community Awareness is one of the most important pillars of the MIA.“The museum (has) the Department of Education and the Community Awareness Department … and here lies the strength in our programme that aims to communicate with community members (schools, children, families),” Dr Gunilla said. “I believe in the need to create a local orientation for museums, and that our attention should be focused on the local audience above all.”“The global audience in turn is no less important, as we receive many visitors from outside Qatar every year,” she added. “With the cruise ships, we were receiving about 7,000 visitors per day from one ship alone, so I think their visit to the museum must have made a difference for them.“We are here in the Middle East, so the presence of the MIA here in Doha is more special than anywhere else in the world.”In addition to improving the art galleries, deputy director for Museum Affairs Shaikha al-Nasr said the goal behind this project is to enrich the museum experience for visitors in general.“We will change the way the pieces are presented so that they appear more than just a delight to the viewers, and we will link them to our social values,” she said. “For example, we will talk about Hajj (pilgrimage) and its importance, and for this, we will display the curtain of the Kaaba in the permanent galleries.”“We will discuss its impact on social and cultural life, and how it relates to art,” al-Nasr added.“The entire renovation project actually depends on visitors' impressions. When it was noticed that there were some problems with participation in the exhibition halls, a decision was made to conduct an evaluation using different methodologies such as focus groups, observation, interviews, and polls,” she explained.Al-Nasr added: “The aim is to re-imagine the exhibition halls, and improve museum facilities. When we complete the renovation project, we will reveal about 70% of the pieces that have not previously been shown.”