MIA

While the boys were in school, I took my dad to the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).  A free museum located on the water with views of both the old and new parts of downtown Doha.  It was a remarkably beautiful building, but I definitely enjoyed the building and views more than the actual exhibits.  We saw a lot of pottery, calligraphy, Korans, and astrolabes (ancient tools for mathematicians and astronomers).  I think the ancient Muslims used them to determine the direction of Mecca, now they use an app on their iPhone.  :-)

Here’s dad in front of the museum.  It’s designed to look like an Arabic woman with her face covered and just her eyes show.  Can you see it?

   

Another view of the museum with the fountains in front…

This is the main entrance to the museum looking up.  So pretty!

This is that same area, looking down on the circular light and staircase.  Stunning!

Here is another fountain inside the museum in the cafe.  View out the window is of all the skyscrapers downtown.

So if the museum is designed to be an Arabic woman wearing her Abaya, and looking up in the center of the museum would be her head ….

Then what are these straight down from where her head and chest would be?  Really??  Not very subtle!

And here are two views from the museum grounds.  It was a bit hazy, but in one direction are some dhow boats and the Emir’s palace (place of business, not residence) in the background, and the other direction are the sky scrapers.