Qatar Museums is currently presenting the second part of A Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum Project, sponsored by Seashore Group, at Al Zubarah Fort. The exhibition is on view from 24 October 2022 until 19 December 2023.
Qatar Museums opened the Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum Project exhibition in March 2022 at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), displaying three spectacular cars and introducing the concept design of the future museum, designed by Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) led by international architect and Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas.
The second part of A Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum expands beyond the National Museum gallery to showcase the community and participatory component of the future museum. This exhibition highlights the car as a common thread between diverse nations and a unifying vehicle of cultures. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience and learn about Qatar’s car culture, private museums, automotive collectors, motorsport clubs and national champions.
Ahmad Musa Al-Namla, CEO of Qatar Museums, said: “Qatar Auto Museum is grateful to Seashore Group for their generous support of the A Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum Project exhibition, which is a great step towards building Qatar Museums’ legacy and gives a strong voice to the nation's car enthusiasts.”
The display at Al Zubarah Fort includes three unique cars: a Volkswagen Race Touareg 3, developed to participate in the 2011 Dakar Rally, which Qatari Rally driver Nasser bin Saleh Al Attiyah drove during the race when he was crowned Dakar Rally champion for the first time. The vehicle is presented with the support of the Volkswagen Group.
The second car is the Ford Bronco XLT (4th generation), once driven by Qatari rally driver Saeed Al Hajiri, one of the founding figures to popularise motorsports in Qatar and the Arab world. The car is loaned by the courtesy of Mr. Salem Saeed Al Mohannadi. The third car is a BMW M2 CS Racing, provided by the courtesy of Mr. Omar Al Fardan from the Letbelah collection.
Mr. Victor Dalmau, Managing Director, Volkswagen Middle East, said:
“Volkswagen AG is proud to support Qatar Museums with the Volkswagen Race Touareg, the three-time winner of the Dakar Rally (2009-2011). We know this Volkswagen holds a special place in the heart of Qatari’s not only for its race wins but thanks to Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah. It is with great pleasure that we support Qatar Museums so once again the people of Qatar can see the winning Volkswagen Race Touareg, now on display in Qatar.”
Seashore Group CEO Salem Saeed Al Mohannadi said: “By supporting the exhibition, Seashore Group seeks to promote a culture of sustainability using recycled materials, creating an opportunity for the aesthetics of creativity without harming the environment.”
To encourage visitors to explore Qatar’s heritage sites, Qatar Museums and Seashore Group will also present a similar display of other unique vehicles at Msheireb Downtown Doha and Barzan Towers heritage site in Umm Salal Mohammed, between 14 November 2022 and 20 December 2022. The display at Msheireb will be developed in collaboration with Sealine Sports Club (Mawater) and Audi Qatar.
Carsten Bender, Managing Director of Audi Middle EastAhmed Shariefi, General Manager of Audi Qatar said: said “This preview is a celebration of the driving culture in the Middle East and we are proud to play a part at the beginning of a journey that will lead to the creation of a legacy for Qatar, putting its automotive community under one roof and creating a car culture like never before. The Qatar Auto Museum will be emblematic for the country, with a mission that perfectly aligns with Audi’s aim to inspire the next generation of creators, car enthusiasts, engineers, and policymakers in the region.”
Dr. Hessa Sultan Al Jaber, President of Qatar Auto Museum said: "Thanks to our sponsor Seashore Group, we are able to showcase these outstanding vehicles. These displays, built by reused materials, give our audience a unique experience that reflects the vision of the forthcoming Qatar Auto Museum. We would like to thank the exhibition participants for lending their cars. We look forward to future collaborations to spark innovation, creativity, dialogue, and community building."
Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation's preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation's cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar's people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children's Museum of Qatar.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.
About Qatar Auto Museum
Qatar Auto Museum (QAM) will serve as a hub for culture and innovation by showcasing one of the most vibrant and passionate car culture communities in the world through an unmatched collection of automobiles and engaging exhibitions and experiences that unite innovators, designers, engineers, collectors, and policymakers through a shared passion for cars. The Museum is expected to open in 2026. The new, 30,000-square-metre (320,000-square-foot) museum is designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), led by Pritzker Architecture Prize winning architect Rem Koolhaas, and will be housed in the old Doha Exhibition Centre (DEC).