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Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, one of the world’s leading institutions dedicated to modern and contemporary art from the Arab world, is entering a new chapter in its history with the announcement of an ambitious campus expansion. The project is led by Lina Ghotmeh, the internationally renowned Lebanese architect and founder of the Paris-based studio Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture.
Conceived to coincide with the museum’s fifteenth anniversary, the expansion unfolds in multiple phases, reinforcing Mathaf’s role not only as an exhibition venue but as a dynamic platform for research, dialogue, and cultural production. The first phase has recently been inaugurated with the opening of a new library and conversation space inspired by the traditional concept of the majlis — from the Arabic term meaning “a place to sit” and gather.
Located on the ground floor, this new environment is designed as a true community hub, offering visitors access to publications by Mathaf and Qatar Museums, along with a wide selection of art books dedicated to the region. Flexible, modular furnishings allow the space to adapt to multiple uses, hosting meetings, workshops, lectures, and moments of exchange. Completing the experience are a bookstore, a gift shop, and a café offering casual dining, all conceived to encourage social interaction and extended visits.
The museum’s renovated atrium also features a newly commissioned portrait of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani by renowned Chinese painter Yan Pei-Ming, adding a symbolic and international dimension to the museum’s entrance.
Subsequent phases of the expansion look toward the future of artistic production. The museum’s current parking area and plaza will be redesigned to accommodate studios and workspaces dedicated to artists and designers. The project includes a state-of-the-art ceramics studio, a makerspace for glassmaking, and a sound studio equipped with innovative infrastructure. These environments will be developed in collaboration with established artists, engaged as consultants to ensure programming that genuinely supports contemporary practices.
Mathaf’s expansion is part of the broader context of Evolution Nation, the 18-month campaign through which Qatar Museums celebrates the country’s cultural journey over the past fifty years, beginning with the founding of the National Museum of Qatar. Curated by Qatar Creates — the national movement promoting Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity — the initiative highlights the nation’s past cultural achievements and its future aspirations.
Founded in 2010 by Qatar Museums in collaboration with Qatar Foundation and located in Doha’s Education City, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art continues to strengthen its mission: offering a unique overview of modern and contemporary art from North Africa, West Asia, and connected regions, while establishing itself as an international center for research, dialogue, and cultural production. With Lina Ghotmeh’s intervention, the museum not only expands physically but also renews its vision, reaffirming itself as an open, inclusive space deeply rooted in the dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity.
All images courtesy of Lina Ghotmeh - Architecture
