Visit a museum in Doha

Sheikh Faisal's personal collection of artistic and cultural items has to be seen to be believed. We take a trip Discuss this article

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Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani is a collector. Some might say he’s a hoarder. But one thing is for certain: he owns one of the world’s most enviable collections of antiques and art.

Since the 1960s, the Sheikh has amassed a staggering amount of pieces: art, ceramics, cars, religious texts – whatever you can think of, he probably has it. And best of all, he doesn’t hide it away. It’s all displayed at his sprawling, personal museum in Al Shahaniya, which is around 20km from Doha.

Aside from making a name for himself as one of Doha’s most successful businessmen (he owns City Centre mall), the Sheikh adores travelling and collecting unique items from around the world. His love for this began when he was just a child. ‘I started this hobby when I was young, having a particular interest in old objects, which either I or my family had managed to collect,’ he explains on his website. ‘I was especially encouraged and guided by my late father, Al-Sheikh Jassim Bin Faisal Al-Thani. He had encouraged myself and my brothers to visit museums, archaeological and art sites during our holidays in different Arab and foreign countries, allowing us also to learn about the legacy of other civilisations, customs and cultures.’

The museum has around 3,000 pieces displayed between five large halls that have an ancient musty smell – like opening up an old wardrobe in your nan’s cottage. One hall is devoted to religious texts, with miniature Korans and even bibles from Ethiopia and Eritrea. Another (rather spooky) hall contains mannequins wearing traditional dress and bridal outfits, along with 18th-century Yemeni douqas (a type of amulet worn around the neck with a handwritten religious citation against the devil).

Most exhibits are carefully displayed in cabinets, though there are some rather chaotic sections. Turn the corner after the eye-popping weaponry display (including 17th-century Iranian swords embossed with calligraphy) and things get a whole lot more kitsch, with random fox furs, rusty bicycles and old car number plates.‘There is no doubt that my collection is simple and modest,’ the Sheikh admits. ‘But in spite of this, it can provide useful meanings in terms of historical facts, as well as answers to the questions of interested people.’

And if you happen to be a car lover, the Sheikh’s collection of vintage and classic motors will make your head spin. The car hall will be open to the public in around a year, but we got a sneak peek at some of the polished beauties, including a 1951 Chrysler, a 1983 anniversary Corvette and even a steam car from the 1900s.

But the hall that astounded us the most was, without a doubt, the fossils hall. Just how the Sheikh managed to snare some of these fossils (some more than 400 million years old) is a very good question – especially the head and the neck of a Plesiosaurus some 120 million years old, found in the depths of the Sahara desert.

Despite these unanswered questions, we have to agree it’s extremely generous of the Sheikh to open his collection to visitors, who will undoubtedly wander around and leave as we did: in absolute awe.
Visiting the Sheikh’s museum is free, though by appointment only (486 9966; www.fbqmuseum.com). You can also visit with Doha tour company Regency Holidays (434 4444; www.regencyholidays.com) on its Shahaniya tour, which also stops at the oryx farm, the camel race track and the equestrian club. Trips cost QR230 per person.