Qatar Museums begins to reopen museums and heritage sites

Qatar Museums (QM), under the guidance of its Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, will reopen a number of its museums and heritage sites to the public on Wednesday, July 1, in accordance with recommendations from Qatar’s Health Protection & Communicable Disease Control office of the Ministry of Public Health.

The reopening aligns with the Ministry’s second phase of the general resumption of public activity in Qatar, based on milestones reached in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. Qatar Museums plans to reopen the remainder of its museums in phases, while rolling out the new health and safety protocols, following global standards, and carefully monitoring progress to ensure the well-being of staff and visitors.

Ahmad Al Namla, CEO of Qatar Museums, said, “With gratitude toward the Ministry of Public Health for its guidance throughout these difficult times, we are excited to gradually begin to welcome back the public to a number of our museums and heritage sites. To create a safe and comfortable environment for staff and visitors, we have put in place a robust set of health and safety measures. While the team at Qatar Museums has done extraordinary work during the pandemic to engage the public through digital initiatives, we now begin to reopen our doors.”

“We are proud of our cultural institutions and delighted to welcome back our audiences, offering them not only inspiration and knowledge but also providing a space for creativity and respite, which is needed now more than ever,” concluded Al Namla.

The museums and galleries opening tomorrow include the Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, and the Garage Gallery at the Fire Station: Artist in Residence, while Heritage sites will include Al Zubarah, Al Jassasiya, and Barzan Towers.

The permanent collections of MIA and Mathaf are open to visitors, as is the special exhibition Picasso’s Studios, organized in partnership with the Musée National Picasso-Paris, at the Fire Station. The museums, galleries, and heritage sites are open from Sunday through Thursday, between the hours of 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Museum gift shops will reopen in MIA, Mathaf, and NMoQ (although NMoQ galleries will remain closed as the museum undergoes maintenance work) as well as cafes with limited service from Saturday through to Thursday.

IDAM restaurant at MIA will be operating at limited capacity for dinner service while JIWAN at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) will be open at limited capacity for lunch and afternoon tea.  During this initial phase, public programs, group tours, and special events remain suspended, and QM’s playgrounds, libraries, and parks (including MIA Park) remain closed.

In keeping with the guidelines set by the MoPH, a limited number of visitors and staff will be allowed inside each museum.

Opening hours and procedures:

The museums and heritage sites will be open from Sunday through Thursday, between the hours of 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

-Visitors will be required to reserve tickets in advance on the QM website.

- Upon arrival at the museum, ticketholders must present a “green” health status on the Ehteraz App.

- Each person will also be checked for a normal temperature reading at the entrance.

- Visitors (12 years of age and above) will be required to bring and wear a mask.

- Hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the location encouraging visitors to keep their hands clean.

- Signage reminding visitors to keep a safe distance from other visitors will also be visible on-site.

- Cloakrooms will be unavailable during this period. In addition, interactive features at each museum such as touchscreens will be temporarily removed, and gallery guides will be offered online only.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself. 

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