Many wealthy people around the world are known for their hobby of collecting antiques and collectibles, but the passion of Qatari businessman Sheikh Faisal bin Qasim al-Thani since childhood has expanded to the establishment of the world's largest personal museum, which has become one of the most important tourist and cultural destinations in Qatar.
In one of the halls of the museum, which is spread across a vast area, dozens of cupboards are filled with Sheikh Faisal's childhood and young age gifts, which predict the transition of this hobby at an early stage to professionalism and passion.
| A huge industrial lake at the entrance to the museum, which was built as a fortress (island) |
Parallel to his preoccupation with commercial ventures such as car trade, aviation services and real estate, the young businessman toured the world to collect all the valuable antiques he had. By the time he was 50 he realized that his huge collection needed a special museum to contain and display.
The museum was opened in 1998 and was the first of its kind to be built in the Shahaniya area west of Doha. The building continues to expand into a comprehensive cultural institution, offering cultural events ranging from exhibitions, art concerts and educational tours.
| A special hall for hunting in the Qatari heritage (Al Jazeera) |
Islamic and national heritage
The Museum gives special importance to the Islamic heritage. In the weapons section, which receives visitors in the first hall, hundreds of swords, darts and equipment of soldiers dating to various stages, including the Crusades and the armies of the Ottomans and Mamluks, are displayed with greater celebration of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Textile Hall also includes a rare collection of oriental carpets, some of which date back to the 13th / 7th century AH, as well as hundreds of precious pieces of jewels, ornaments, utensils, coins, fashion and luxury furniture, embodying the cultures and traditions of most countries of the Islamic world.
| Decorated weapons in Faisal bin Qasem Museum (Al Jazeera) |
In a private room, a giant version of the Holy Quran, along with other copies of extremely small volumes, is distributed on the cupboards. Many copies of the rare Qur'an are distributed on the cupboards, with huge portions of the Kaaba's cover, key and lock.
| The giant Quran with a piece of the Kaaba (Al Jazeera) |
In other halls, Qatari life before the country enters the era of modernity, there is an integrated Qatari house containing hundreds of holdings, giant diving boats used for pearl fishing, as well as dozens of display cabinets that keep the stages of life in Qatar.
| Pearl fishing boats mark an important stage in the history of Qatar (Al Jazeera) |
The main hall, which is more spacious, has been dedicated to more than 100 rare classic cars, all of which are in excellent condition. The visitor is traveling to discover the history of the automotive industry since 1885. The hall also includes the first cars entering Qatar and dozens of cars used by Qatari officials. the last century.
| Side of the classic car park (island) |
Dazzling and diverse
More than 240 years ago, the museum displays a Damascus house. The museum's owners say that it took a year to dismantle the house in Damascus's old neighborhoods, as well as another year to re-install it carefully after being moved to the museum.
| One of the rooms of the Damascene house in Benkoucheh El Badea (Al Jazeera) |
The museum also allocates another hall of religions. In the early era room, dozens of small idols - the same great historical value - were exhibited in a second room. Buddhist, Yazid, Sabean, Mandaean and Druze collections were also found in other rooms.
| Side of the Religions Hall (Al Jazeera) |
Throughout the rooms, corridors and halls of the museum, the visitor is surprised by a wide array of manuscripts, precious books, rare documents and newspapers, Soviet artifacts, skeletons and fossil fossils, weapons and tools made of pure gold, plastic paintings and impressive pieces of art.
If this large museum has already won the title of the world's largest personal museum, the visitor will easily discover that he is vigorously competing with dozens of national museums in many countries and may wonder about the effort one person has made to collect and catalog this priceless historical wealth in one place, His family is entitled to the title of "Character of the Arab heritage of 2012" by the League of Arab States.
It is noteworthy that the State of Qatar also hosts several personal museums, such as the Museum of Abdullah bin Lahan Al-Muhannadi in the area of Al-Amhara north of Doha, and the Museum of Saud Abdul Aziz Al-Ali in the town of Al Wakra south of Doha, and the Museum of Islamic Art on the Corniche Doha rare collections belonging to some To collectors of Qatari antiques.