Client:          Qatar Museums
Location:     Doha, Qatar
Timescale:   2013 - 2017

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) opened in December 2008 with the vision of becoming the foremost museum of Islamic Art in the world. MIA is a world-class collecting institution, which preserves, studies and exhibits masterpieces spanning three continents and 13 centuries.  Representing the full scope of Islamic Art, the collection includes early Qurans and manuscripts, ceramics, metal, glass, ivory, carpets and textiles, wood and precious stones – the pieces represent the diversity found in Islamic heritage and are of the highest quality.

The Exhibitions Department within MIA has specific responsibility for the museum’s three-year rolling programme of special exhibitions. The Exhibitions team is a young and dynamic group with great potential and high expectations, coupled with significant responsibility.  Cultural Innovations was appointed to provide a targeted programme of Mentoring and Training Support to MIA’s Exhibitions team, covering a wide range of museological areas of interest, together with a distinct international perspective.

The successful programme of workshops, training modules, presentations and one-to-one mentoring sessions with the Exhibitions team members commenced in both Doha and London. This work was followed up with a consultancy project examining potential enhancements to the museum’s permanent galleries, public spaces and learning spaces, along with accompanying operational and programming improvements for visitor services and education programmes.