With the countdown to the start of the World Cup in Qatar and the expected arrival of over one million fans to attend the World Cup, Qatar welcomes the masses in a special way by opening a football exhibition in its new Olympic Sports Museum.
It has also transformed the streets of its capital, Doha, into an open-air museum displaying art sculptures that reflect the country’s culture and spirit.
19 thousand sports items under one roof
The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum displays a variety of sports memorabilia, from the boxing gloves worn by Muhammad Ali to the Ferrari of racing legend Michael Schumacher.
In conjunction with the World Cup, the museum inaugurated a special exhibition entitled “The world of football”.
The first part of the exhibition deals with football and its popularity around the world, from the streets to the stadiums. “The first part of the exhibits is about the history of the game, its origin, its laws and its ancient players,” says Andrew Pearce, curator of the “World of Football” exhibition.
As well as showcasing the stories and collectibles of some of the greatest players in football history, including some of their shirts and balls that they have played in special matches throughout their careers.
The exhibit also includes a “section showing ways to encourage football fans for their national teams and teams around the world”.
The second part, or “second half” of the exhibition, sheds light on Qatar’s sporting history and limps along its path since it was chosen to host the World Cup under the name “The Road to Doha”.
According to the museum’s head of exhibitions, Alia Khaled Al-Khater, the show broadcasts Qatar’s sporting achievements for the 2022 World Cup, as well as certainly showcases from the 1930s for the first World Cup in Uruguay through 2018.
Sports history of Qatar
Each World Cup poster was shown from 1930 to 2022 and you can see the evolution of the World Cup in terms of design as well as the evolution of ticket and poster design.
Other pieces tell 40 years of football history in Doha with some noteworthy events including Pele’s visit to Doha in 1973 and his match against Al Ahly, Doha’s oldest football club.
The Olympic and Sports Museum in general includes 16,000 pieces related to sports, while it has borrowed 3 more pieces for display during the World Cup.
The Museum’s “Athletes Hall” is dedicated to the legends of different sports, where visitors can see Muhammad Ali’s boxing glove and Brazilian player Pele’s jersey, as well as a Ferrari driven by German Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher.
Museum director Abdullah Yousef Al Mulla says the exhibits tell the stories of athletes that inspire visitors … of the younger generation hoping to immortalize themselves in the “Hall of Athletes” when they achieve sporting achievements.
window on culture
There aren’t many places in the world where art is available to everyone, but Qatar is trying to change this situation ahead of the World Cup, as the country has redoubled its efforts to embody “public art”, which is a work of art displayed in the open air near attractions such as airports, stadiums and main roads.
From the first moment visitors arrive at Hamad International Airport, they can observe a series of sprawling works inside and outside the airport, such as the sculpture of a falcon by artist Tom Claassen.
Sarah Furiyami Lawler, head of organizational planning at the public art department of Qatar museums, says the currently completed works of art resonate with many people and each individual can give their own interpretation of them.
These works also encourage dialogue on art and culture and help make Qatar’s heritage known to foreigners, according to the spokesperson.
Some of the artwork is designed to be functional as benches and tables are artistically crafted, while others stand out in Doha’s busy streets and its famous stadiums.
Among the pieces you can encounter at the National Museum of Qatar is the painting “On Their Way” by the French artist Roche Vandrome, which depicts four camels reflecting the life of the Bedouins in the past.
You can also see Simon Fattal’s “Sea Gates” piece, which is a piece of rock inscribed with boats and fish, reflecting Qatar’s close relationship with the ocean.
In addition to the 10-meter high piece “Safina”, created by the Qatari artist Faraj Daham, located in the Al Janoub stadium, it is inspired by the shape of traditional dhow sailboats, which also expresses the Qatari’s bond with the sea.
