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Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani during the opening of the exhibitions.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums (QM) yesterday opened ‘Wooden Doors of Qatar: From Storage to Stories’ and ‘Atharna 2026: Life and Death in Pre-Islamic Qatar’ at Fahad Bin Ali Palace in Msheireb.
On view until May 29, 2027 the exhibitions offer two distinct encounters with Qatar’s heritage through historic architectural objects, archaeological discoveries and immersive displays.
‘Wooden Doors of Qatar: From Storage to Stories’ brings together 52 doors, doorframes and windows from the National Collection of Historic Doors, held by the National Museum of Qatar. An additional door is presented on loan from the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum.
The experience begins in the palace courtyard with ‘What Once Was’, an installation inspired by a traditional Qatari home. Historic doors and windows are placed within the outlines of domestic spaces, accompanied by a soundscape evoking gathering, celebration and privacy. In the surrounding galleries, a conservation display reveals how the objects were documented, cleaned, stabilised and mounted, while their painted surfaces and traces of wear offer glimpses into changing tastes and generations of use.
Visitors can also contribute to the exhibition’s ongoing research. QR codes accompanying the objects connect to a digital platform where communities across Qatar can share photographs, memories and stories that may help identify the homes, neighbourhoods and craftspeople associated with the collection.
The exhibition is curated by Qatar Museums’ Museography and Heritage Museums Development Department in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. The project forms part of the Heritage Clinic, Qatar Museums’ developing platform for the research, conservation and adaptive reuse of built heritage.
Opening alongside it, ‘Atharna 2026: Life and Death in Pre-Islamic Qatar’ takes visitors through a reconstructed burial mound and an archaeologist’s tent before leading into an atmospheric, flashlight-lit display.
Jewellery, weapons and other objects excavated from Pre-Islamic graves reveal how archaeology, bioarchaeology and material analysis are expanding knowledge of life and death in ancient Qatar.
The exhibitions also mark the reopening of Fahad Bin Ali Palace to the public for the first time in 20 years. Developed between 1952 and 1963, the compound includes early examples of modern construction in Qatar and colourful decorative details characteristic of the style known as Doha Deco.
‘Wooden Doors of Qatar and Atharna 2026’ are presented alongside ‘Beyti Beytak My Home is Your Home’, organised by the future Art Mill Museum. Together, the exhibitions offer visitors new perspectives on architecture, archaeology, memory, place and identity.
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