When I visited during an unplanned stopover in July 2025, I had given this already a thumbs down, before I even stepped foot into the museum. There was no way, that a building from 2019 would already become a WHS.

Upon arrival I had to admit, that the building looks impressive and amazing. The desert rose shape is clearly visible and even though the whole complex is massive, it feels good to wander around. There was some minor renovations going on and I had trouble to find the entrance. Entrance was free and the exhibition, as mentioned by Els, very impressive. Everything is top notch, with interactive elements and spacious rooms. It is kind of funny, that a country I would describe as rather boring is presenting itself in such an interesting way.

The palace is a cool feature, but it is so heavily restored, that I (no, I did not do any kind of research before visiting) thought it was fake, before reading the information boards.

Did I change my mind after the visit? Yes, I did. The building is new. But Qatar is new. I only looked at it from a European perspective, where we have tons of sites from 50’000 years of human activity. But that’s not the right angle. There is not much left from the really old sites, like Al Zubarah or Al Da’asa. Something like the national museum would represent Qatar and the history and identity of the region much better. So yes Qatar, …

I have a strong fascination for National Museums and every time I visit a “new” country, I try to take one in. What I am interested in is how countries present their history. It’s like a 5-minute pitch they have to give about “Tell me about your country”. This is very difficult to do well: where do you start, and where do you end? What stories do you tell and which ones do you omit? I recently visited the museums in Jordan and Iraq: the Jordan museum really struggles with a lack of authentic content and representativeness, while the one in Baghdad is an excellent Archaeological Museum but doesn’t cover the whole story.

Qatar’s National Museum, put on the Tentative List just this year, however, is an excellent example. I visited it in November 2023. It’s a popular tourist attraction in Doha and the entrance costs 50 rial, about 12.50 EUR. 

The nomination focuses on the building. It was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel. Its shape was inspired by the desert rose, a crystal that “grows” in the sand of the desert. It only opened in 2019, so it would be by far the “youngest” WHS. I found it impressive and it is very spacious inside. Its design of interlocking discs also provides ample shade to shelter from the desert heat.

I was even more interested in the collection. Even with the limited original objects found on Qatari soil available, it does not disappoint. …