The Qatar National Museum, which is due to open in March, celebrates Qatar's past, present and future, inspired by its design from the Desert Rose, and is home to the historic palace of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Jassim Al Thani (1880-1957).
The museum, which is shaped like a rose of the desert, is designed in the form of large, intricate disks with different diameters and curves, all of which form a necklace that surrounds the historic palace.
The concrete surface of the museum blends with the Qatari desert and takes a sand-like color. The building looks as if it grew out of the earth and is united with it. The museum's discarded tablets also shield visitors from the heat of the sun as they wander outside, while providing cover for those inside to protect them from the heat.
Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the 40,000-square-meter French museum features innovative works of art by Qatari and international artists, rare and precious pieces of art, documentary materials and interactive educational activities.