Doha: HE Sheikha Al Mayassa highlighted upcoming landmarks including the Museum of Orientalists in Lusail and the Art Mill Museum, both set to showcase exceptional international art collections. She explained that architect Alejandro Aravena is transforming Doha's historic flour mill on the waterfront into a vibrant creative village - the Art Mill Museum - that will bring together artists from around the world to collaborate and innovate. These initiatives, she said, will culminate in the launch of Art Basel Qatar next February, linking regional collectors and institutions directly with the global art market.
According to Qatar News Agency, Qatar Museums continues to expand its platforms for supporting creatives beyond traditional museums, through spaces such as Fire Station ' Artists in Residence, the Doha Film Institute, and the upcoming school for design, which will open soon in a restored heritage building to serve as an incubator for designers and innovators.
HE Sheikha Al Mayassa also underscored the significance of the Years of Culture program as a model of international cultural exchange. "This year we are hosting Argentina and Chile, followed by Mexico and Canada next year, and Egypt and Greece in 2027," she said. "Over the past decade, the program has built bridges of understanding across borders, showcasing the best of Qatar to the world and bringing the best of other nations to us."
She reaffirmed that culture is not a luxury but a necessity and expressed gratitude to the country's leadership for laying the foundations of Qatar's cultural movement, crediting HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani for establishing Qatar Museums, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for guiding its national vision, and the late HH the Grandfather Amir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani for planting the region's first museum concept.
Reflecting on her two-decade journey in the cultural field, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said her work has been driven by her nation's ambition and the courage to think beyond convention. "Every museum we build, every archive we preserve, and every creative centre we establish exists to empower our people, inspire our youth, and carry our heritage into the future," she said.