Doha, November 16 (QNA) – On a vast area in the city of Al Shahaniya south of the Qatari capital, Doha, is located Sheikh Faisal Museum, which is considered the largest museum among the personal museums in the world, where it promotes the heritage and culture of the State of Qatar and traces the history of its people and the impact it has had on its society.
The museum, which houses a distinguished collection of antiques, rare collectibles and unique artifacts from four continents, will serve as an ideal cultural and tourist destination for visitors and fans of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The museum includes a variety of Sheikh Faisals personal belongings, in addition to a group of works that include Islamic art and Qatari heritage, as well as a section for rare vehicles, a section for handmade carpets and some coins from four continents. The museum also includes a date farm, an equestrian school and an Oryx sanctuary aimed at preserving endangered species.
These diverse and selected masterpieces tell the story of the museum’s founder, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim, as well as the story of humanity in general.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani, founder of the museum, was born in Doha in 1948, and he is one of the most prominent businessmen in the State of Qatar and the Middle East, and ranked 18th among the wealthy Arabs, according to the list of “Forbes Middle East” magazine in 2016.
The museum, which was established in 1998, has become one of the most important tourist and cultural destinations in Qatar, as it turned from being a personal museum to one of the country’s most prominent landmarks attracting foreign tourists.
During dozens of years, Sheikh Faisal has collected works of art and antiquities of historical importance. These rare and precious pieces from the museum’s exhibits summarize Sheikh Faisal’s travels around the world during the past fifty years.
The museum houses a large collection of unique artifacts from 4 continents, including pieces from the Jurassic period (the age of the dinosaurs), the early Islamic era, to the present day.
The area of the museum is estimated at about 50 thousand square meters, and it contains more than 16 sections, where there is a section for Qatari folklore and many different sections. The museum takes visitors to learn about the culture of some countries. It is fully furnished with a patio and two living rooms, and contains beautiful works of tiles and latticework.
There is also the Egyptian House and the Palestinian House, and two typical Qatari houses which contain elements of Sheikh Faisal’s house, personal collectibles that illustrate the founder’s special interests and tastes and reveal a life full of experience.
The museum also includes more than 50,000 rare pieces of carpets, jewelry, cars, coins, antiques, fossils, and others.
The Vehicles Section is one of the most prominent sections of the museum, as it contains a large number of rare cars, whose total number exceeds 700, dating back to an ancient period before 1885. In addition, it contains cars related to the Qatari history of public figures from the fifties of the last century, as well as a variety of different motorcycles and bicycles.
As for the Manuscripts Hall, it contains many manuscripts in Arabic calligraphy belonging to great calligraphers from different eras, including the Ottoman Empire and most of the Islamic eras, and it contains a large number of Quran books.
In addition to the kiswah, which is a black colored cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba, it displays more than 700 carpets that reflect various weaving, dyeing and patterns from all over the world.
The Currency section presents the silver and gold coins used during and before the advent of Islam in the Middle East and contemporary currencies in many countries.
The Dressing section displays clothing and accessories from across the region, antique furniture and musical instruments complement the collection, while artwork and photographs adorn the walls.
A special section will be opened in the museum dealing with the culture of the Islamic and Arab world, through which the museum will introduce some important personalities who have greatly influenced the Qatari culture. (QNA)
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