Cultural heritage
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Keeping history alive
From Bronze Age settlements to medieval palaces, 19th century forts, villages, towers and mosques, the archeology and conservation team excavate, restore and protect the parts of Qatar that flourished long ago.
We put local communities, young and old, in touch with their past, reminding them of the skills, wisdom, and struggles of their ancestors.
Al Zubarah, Al Jassasiya and Barzan Towers are open to visitors 9am-3pm Sunday-Thursday, with precautionary measures in place. The Old Palace at National Museum of Qatar is currently closed. Visiting information for other sites may be found in the PDF below.
Keeping History Alive - Guide to Heritage Sites
(pdf 9.3MB)
Pushing the field
Our Cultural Heritage division covers archaeology, architectural conservation, and cultural tourism. We manage, conserve, protect and enhance archaeology and archaeological practices in Qatar.
To progress the archeology field more generally, we invite conversations with the international community. We regularly welcome specialists from other parts of the world, hold conferences and engage in international cooperative projects. In June 2014, Qatar hosted the 38th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and QM was a key partner.
We design activities at our visitor centres that urge interaction and get residents excited about our discipline. We place special focus on school groups and partnered with UCL Qatar to introduce archaeology degree programmes to university students. These will open up possibilities for locals with an interest in the subject to get involved in the safeguarding of Qatar’s cultural heritage.
Our archaeology team works in other parts of the world too, sharing knowledge and experience. This helps us enter broader dialogue about the discipline and extends our research prowess. Read more about one of these projects, Qatar-Sudan Archaeology Project, which aims to develop research and protect heritage in the Republic of Sudan.
