Cultural projects
Just came across this gem ...
http://www.qatarembassy.net/major_projects.asp#Culture
Museum of Islamic Arts
The Museum of Islamic Arts, which is to be completed by 2006 in time for the Asian Games, will be a notable landmark for the city of Doha and provide the highest standards of display conversation, research and renovation. The museum will also serve as an educational institution offering support to local schools and providing facilities for research scholars from within Qatar and from overseas. The Islamic Museum will display the Qatar National Collection of Islamic Art – a world class collection of ceramics, metalwork, jewelry, woodwork, glass and other items made in countries all over the Islamic World from medieval Spain to Central Asia and India.
Qatar National Library
Designed by the famous architect Arata Isozaki, Qatar National Library, the major repository of bibliographic references on the country, will be a landmark and a minaret of knowledge. The library will include the National History Museum, galleries, a children’s centre, closed book stacks, reading rooms, a restaurant, a lecture room, and conference hall. Construction will be completed by 2006 in time for the Asian Games.
Qatar National Museum Expansion
The expansion to the existing Qatar National Museum is designed by the well-known French architect Jean Nouvel and due for completion in 2006. The museum will adopt the most modern concepts in museology providing a lively experience, and will house six main themes - the land, the origins, historic settlements, Qatar and the sea, Nomadic life, and the wonders of nature.
For more information, click on http://www.cnc.com.qa/english.asp or contact [email protected].
The library project, as it appears on that website, was killed off in 2005/2006. There are no active plans to build it.
The National Museum project was also killed off at around the same time. Architects were contacted again last year to provide expressions of interest. There is no current activity to restore the museum, just 'plans' (we know what that normally means...) to do so.
The photography museum that was supposed to be built... also dead.
The weaponary museum I think is also dead, but I could be wrong. So too the history of education museum, the costumes and textiles museum.
I'm not sure about the Orientalist museum. There doesn't seem to be any current activity underway to construct a facility to properly house, display and conserve that collection either.
On the bright side, there is an Islamic Art Museum.
I had a friend visit last xmas. He went to the National Museum and found it shut. He asked the guard "what time is it open?", the guard said "Next year, inshallah".
Did you Google it first?
It means the museum is way beyond schedule. :-)
At least i think its worth the wait. and for the Qatar National Library, I've never heard of it.
cheers,
paul