900,000
Annual Visitors
40,000+ objects spanning 7th–19th centuries
Collection
2–3 hours
Recommended Visit
I. M. Pei (2008)
Architect
About Museum of Islamic Art
The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is a museum on one end of the seven-kilometer-long Corniche in Doha, Qatar. As per the architect I. M. Pei's specifications, the museum is built on an island off an artificial projecting peninsula near the traditional dhow harbor.
A purpose-built park surrounds the edifice on the eastern and southern facades while two bridges connect the southern front facade of the property with the main peninsula that holds the park.
The museum draws much influence from ancient Islamic architecture, notably the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, yet has a unique design. It was the first of its kind in Arab States of the Persian Gulf and has a very large collection of Islamic art.
The museum houses a collection of works gathered since the late 1980s, including manuscripts, textiles, and ceramics. It represents Islamic art from three continents over 1,400 years.
Masterworks & Must-See Highlights
The works that define Museum of Islamic Art — and why they matter.
Baptistère de Saint Louis
Muhammad ibn al-Zayn · c. 1320–1340
Level 1, Room 1.2
A bronze basin inlaid with silver and gold — one of the most technically accomplished works of medieval Islamic art. It was used for French royal christenings for centuries and is named after the saint though predating him.
Pyxis of al-Mughira
Unknown Andalusian craftsman · 968 CE
Level 1
An ivory cosmetic container carved with court scenes for the Caliph's son. Its complex imagery documenting Umayyad court life makes it one of the most significant objects of medieval Islamic art.
Ardabil Carpet
Unknown Persian weavers · 1539–1540
Level 1, Carpet Gallery
One of the oldest dated carpets in the world — woven for the Ardabil Shrine in Iran with 36 million knots per square metre. The MIA holds one of the finest Persian carpet collections outside Iran.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
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A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
Preventable blindness, caused by conditions like cataracts and trachoma, affects people of all ages across the world's poorest communities. A small gift — for the cost of a museum ticket — can provide a simple surgery to restore someone's sight and transform their life.