Your guide to 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
With the recent developments seen in the country, the launch of the 3-2-1 museum, which is one of the world's largest sports museum, was met with much enthusiasm. It is located on the grounds of the Aspire Zone Foundation, which is part of Qatar's Khalifa International Stadium. It was designed by the Spanish architect Joan Sibina.
3-2-1, the newest addition to Qatar Museums' network, and it complements the Qatar National Vision 2030's human development pillar, emphasizing the critical role of sports in developing human capital and ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future. Qatar has established itself as a significant worldwide athletic center in recent years, and the opening of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum is a proud accomplishment for Qatar Museums.
The Museum's design includes a circle-shaped entry structure and a main building that follows the arc of the Khalifa International Stadium. Aspire Zone, also known as Doha Sports City, is a 250-hectare (2.5-kilometer) athletic complex in Doha's Baaya area.
You can embark on an unforgettable and rewarding interactive trip around the museum by learning about the history and legacy of international sports and the Olympic Games. Through participatory venues and programs, 3-2-1 hopes to inspire, engage, and motivate its community to participate in sports and physical exercise.
Disclaimer: Green Ehteraz is mandatory when you enter the museum. At the reception, you will be advised to head over to the 7th floor, where the QR code required for entry, will be scanned. At the entrance, you can also check in some of your belongings, if you wish to, as lockers with sufficient security is provided for the same.
Qatar's role in Olympics and sports
Dive into the world of sporting events and experience what happens behind the scenes while feeling the passion of the athlete, fan, and volunteer who help make events happen all over the world - and in Qatar.
See how traditional and modern sports have been woven into the fabric of Qatar as a result of the roles played by the government, sports federations, and clubs in the development and organization of sport in Qatar.
Qatar Sports is a world of various sports that take place in Qatar on a daily basis. Here you can learn about Qatar's National Vision 2030, celebrate national achievements, and recognize talent from the past, present, and future.
The galleries that are organized under the direction of Kevin Moore, PhD, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs are as follows:
The first gallery space visitors will encounter, "World of Emotion," also serves as the Museum's reception area and lobby. It gives an overview of the Museum's themes as well as the importance of sports in Qatar.
"A Global History of Sport" takes you on a journey through the history of sports from ancient to modern times. The gallery features nearly 100 objects and reproductions dating from the eighth century BCE to the early twentieth century, as well as graphics, audio-visual, and interactive digital elements. The gallery is divided into geographical and thematic sections, with emphasis on various historical periods in Europe, Asia and Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.
"Olympics" takes visitors from the ancient Olympic Games to the modern Olympics' birth, growth, and significance today. The gallery displays every torch from the Summer and Winter Olympic Games since 1936. An immersive video tells the story of the modern Olympics' birth and introduces the geopolitical, social, and technological factors that enabled individuals, most notably Pierre de Coubertin, to resurrect the Olympic Games in the gallery's Olympic Theatre.
The "Hall of Athletes" honors sporting legends from around the world. Visitors can meet old and new heroes and be inspired and amazed by their journeys and accomplishments. This gallery will feature 90 athletes from around the world and the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, representing a wide range of international sports on three floors. A series of eye-catching displays will be included, each focusing on a different athlete and including informative text as well as intriguing or awe-inspiring objects (both historic and replicas).
"Qatar – Hosting Nation" delves into how the mega sports events hosted by Qatar in recent decades have sparked global interest and national pride. The gallery invites visitors to discover Qatar's outstanding reputation as a host of international sporting events, beginning with the Asian Games Doha 2006, and to relive the most memorable moments of world-class events held in the country, including those at Khalifa Stadium since its inception in 1976.
"Qatar Sports" tells the inspiring story of sports development in Qatar, from traditional games to the arrival of international sport and the growth of international competitions. Looking ahead to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, the gallery examines how sports have been and continue to be important to Qatar's development. The gallery also brings to life Qatar's long-established sports activities, such as falconry, pearl diving, and camel racing, by investigating how these sports are reflected in Qatar's oral traditions and demonstrating how they are linked to Qatar's heritage and landscape.
Library
Bookworms all over Qatar, this is your next hangout spot after our most loved Qatar National Library. The library offers a very tranquil ambience and is well-equipped with an interesting and holistic catalogue of inspirational, motivating sports-related books and journals, books on health, nutrition, physical fitness and so on that would interest sports fans, researchers and enthusiasts.
Currently, the library contains a total of 5,000 books and is yet to receive an order of 6,000 books. There are books for all age-groups and caters to three languages which are English, Arabic and Spanish. There’s also a kids section within the library that contains books for kids, a CD library and fun games to indulge in, such as Jenga. It not only induces higher levels of focus, but also improves brain activity to a very large extent.
At the entrance of the library, you will come across a creative cardboard that portrays the significance of each month and what the people of Qatar do during those months according to the Arabic calendar. At present, there are two of them showcasing the month of Ramadan and Shawwal.
The library offers free Wi-fi and has desktops that are at your disposal if at all you were to conduct any research or choose to study at the library. There’s also a section that offers books for free, and you will also find a multi-media room here in the library.
Towards the end of the library is the creative corner where visitors can sketch, paint and color or engage in some art & craft work. The design is so soothing and calm and makes for the perfect environment one would desire in order to come up with a masterpiece.
Timing: Sunday - Thursday: 9 am – 7 pm; Fridays: 1.30 pm – 7 pm
Contact: +974 44525568
Educational Programs
The 3 2 1 Qatar Olympic and Sports museum also provides a number of educational programs for schools, teachers, universities and parents. With the aim of spreading awareness about the history of sport, the museum offers fun and interactive games to impart such knowledge.
Guided Tours for Schools
Guided school tours are available both in English and Arabic. It is inclusive of all the seven galleries in the museum. Visits can be customized as per the school’s requirements based on certain subjects and desired learning outcomes.
Tours are accessible during the academic year from Sunday to Thursday between 9 am – 11 am. Advance booking is required for the same.
School Programs
Their programs for schools offer educational and sports activities from pre-K to grade 12 for all Qatar-based government and international schools. They are at par with the standards of the physical education curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
For Teachers
Their teachers' meetings are an opportunity to socialize and learn about the museum’s activities and programs. They provide room for educators and museum guides to work together for creative teaching and learning.
University Programs
The museum engages in developing educational programs in cooperation with local and international universities with the aim of raising university students’ awareness of Olympic and sports culture.
Family Programs
Apart from the two programs mentioned above, the museum also offers family-centered activities that encourage participants to learn about different sports through age-appropriate physical, cultural and art events.
Activation Zone
Get moving, have fun, and experiment with different sports. There is a sport for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or ability!
The activation zone consists of various fun and interactive games that can be played.
Some of them are cycling with the night sky view, a virtual zipline, virtual paddling, virtual surfing, the reactor game, horizontal rock-climbing zone, cycling with your hands, spiral horizontal climb, and much more.
Restaurant
Guests of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum can eat in the JW Marriott's café and restaurant where Chef Consultant Tom Aikens, a Michelin-starred chef and marathon runner from the United Kingdom, created the menus.
The restaurant Naua is located on the Museum's eighth floor. This restaurant emphasizes healthy eating and living and is named after the Arabic word nucleus of the seed. High-quality cuisine cooked with seasonal ingredients are on the menu. This fine-dining establishment is poised to become one of Doha's most popular eating locations for those seeking the ideal balance of health and gourmet cuisine.
3 2 1 Café
The Café offers visitors some of the best freshly made meal options and drinks, as well as takeaway options on the third floor of the Museum. The wall painting in the café is exceptional and definitely enhances your dining experience to the next level.
Gift Shop
The Museum's primary gift shop, located on the fifth floor, offers a selection of promotional items inspired by the Olympic Games and its legacy. Visitors can look through and buy a range of sportswear and apparel that represents the positive role of sport in Qatari society and beyond. For guests of all ages, everything from antique Olympic poster prints to local football team jerseys is available.
The museum has created a National Physical Literacy Journey with the aid of the International Physical Literacy Association to encourage people to live healthy lifestyles and get active.
3-2-1 Accessible Qatar has partnered with the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum to make facilities more accessible. Accessible Qatar is a Doha-based advocacy organization dedicated to promoting Qatar as a wheelchair-friendly destination.
The Qatar Olympic Committee, Aspire Zone Foundation, Supreme Committee of Legacy and Delivery, and OMN have all generously supported the initiative (Olympic Museums Network).
The 3 2 1 Qatar Olympic and Sports museum is definitely a must-visit especially with your friends and family. It elevates your perception on sports and shed light on the importance it can have in your life!
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