Msheireb Museums: Where Tradition Meets Modernity 🇶🇦

One of the best sightseeing places in Qatar is Msheireb Museums in Doha. The earliest section of Doha, Qatar’s major city, Moshirib, is where this museum is situated. These museums represent the rich history of fishing in Doha. This museum consists of 4 houses. These four houses are four historical wonders that showcase the beginning of Doha’s journey as a fishing village and its growth path. By visiting these museums fully and deeply, you will understand the history of Qatar from different aspects. Where there are historical cultural houses that cover the authentic history and rich culture of Qatar. These museums are considered cultural destination for Doha, Qatar.

Architecture of museum buildings

The architecture of the museum buildings reflects the traditional Qatari life. Courtyard buildings ensure home privacy and enhance the impact of light and decorative patterns.

Pools of water and decorative geometric stonework, such as columns and the patterns of light and shadow they create, create a sense of fracture and dissolution. The juxtaposition of solid and patterned surfaces is an example of traditional Qatari architecture and protects from the intense heat and intense sunlight in Qatar’s summers.

Privacy is of fundamental importance in Qatari culture. Traditionally, buildings with long walls and no courtyard windows, low entrance doors, and reception spaces make it impossible for passers-by or visitors to see the courtyard directly.

Qatar’s traditional buildings, with walls primarily made of plaster, have several interesting features. They include ventilation slots in the roof or tower walls. The beams used in the roof of the house are made of mangrove wood and you can see plaster decorations in them. Similarly, there is a part on the roof for draining water, and canopies of seashells can be seen in the yards. As you have noticed, in the past, culture and customs had a great impact on the design of mansions.

Museums of Msheireb

The four houses that are an integral part of Msheireb museums are the Bin Jelmood House, The Radwani House, The Company House, and the Mohammad Bin Jassim House. Msheireb museums are introduced as advanced museums. Since the origins and way of life of the Qatari people had a big influence on how sophisticated and advanced Qatar became. The age of the above four houses, which form the core of Msheireb Museum, dates back to the early 1900s. These houses have been refurbished according to international standards while maintaining their original shape. This has allowed them to serve as both a place to preserve Qatar’s historical memories and a tourist attraction for Qatar tours. By visiting Msheireb museums, you can see the local history and culture of Qatar in a traditional and modern place.

The temporary gallery of the museum exhibition is a small part of the outstanding renovation project. This project will include facilities for visitors, restaurants with the highest standards, etc. The beautiful buildings of Msheireb Museum have been restored and welcome visitors from all over the world.

Exhibitions of Msheireb Museum Qatar

Bin Jelmood House

The Bin Jelmood House is related to the process of slavery. Over time, slavery has seen several changes. In the Islamic view, you can see some guidelines on how humans should treat slaves, and in the end, it dictates the abolition of slavery.

When human society initially emerged, using slaves was a common practice. You can see that the purpose of creating this house is to respect the people who were previously used as slaves so that they can participate in social and cultural events like everyone else. During this visit, visitors will learn how slaves lived and how they should be treated. This house shows the history of slavery in this area as well as the influence of Islam in its abolition.

The Company House

As the world knows Qatar for its oil, one cannot think of Qatar without oil. The building of the Company House Museum was once used as the location of the first Qatar Oil Company. So, in the Company House Museum, we will see the stories of the pioneering workers of Qatar’s oil industry. Telling the stories that helped make Qatar a modern society. The story of men who sacrificed much not merely to support their families but also to lay the foundations for a more advanced and better nation. Don’t miss visiting the company house and the house components because the generators, telephones, and tools that were used in oil operations decades ago are very different from their new examples today.

The Radwani House

The Radovani House was first built in the 1920s. This renovated house showcases traditional Qatari family life and collects, preserves, and shares Qatari memories. Also, this house is one of the tourist places in Qatar.

The Radwani House offers visitors an insight into how family life in Qatar has evolved over the years. This home demonstrates both the progress of the house and the evolution of family life in Doha.

Through the objects on display, you will learn about how family life changed and developed with important milestones such as the discovery of oil and the introduction of electricity. Radwani House also houses the city’s earliest archaeological digs, and you can view the many stages of the house’s restoration while it was owned by Ako Akbar Radwani’s family for more than 70 years, beginning in 1936.

Mohammad Bin Jassim House

We go back in time to Mohammad Bin Jassim House to discover Doha’s history and its distinctive architectural legacy. The past, present, and sustainability upon which Msheireb, the heart of Doha, is constructed are all topics covered in this residence. You can find out about the history of the Msheireb region via it, which was built by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, the son of the man who established modern-day Qatar.

Exhibitions

Bin Jelmood House is also home to a permanent exhibition titled Journey to the Heart of Life. This exhibit focuses on DNA and how through genetic inheritance we can learn about prehistoric migration and integration around the world.

This exhibition is divided into six sections. This exhibition will show visitors that the cultural and historical heritage of Qatar can be understood through genetics and genomics. You will also learn how genomics can be useful in early disease diagnosis and personalized medicine.

Information about Mushirb Museum, Qatar

Before going to the Msheireb Museum, you should know the working hours of the museum, here we mention some information before going to the museum:

Museum working hours

Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Friday from 3 pm to 9 pm are the hours of operation for Msheireb Museums. It should be mentioned that Sundays are the only day this museum is closed.