Qatar Museums today announced the launch of ‘Marchitecture’ – a unique, nationwide cultural showcase comprising film screenings, events, public talks and exclusive tours of many of Qatar’s best-loved buildings and sites of historic and cultural significance.

Taking place throughout the month of March, the ‘Marchitecture’ programme has been specially designed to give members of QM’s Culture Pass loyalty programme access to more than 70 arts and cultural experiences in a wide variety of locations.

Under the guidance of QM Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the programme has been carefully planned over many months and highlights Qatar Museums’ ongoing commitment to enhancing and enriching the lives of all those who live in and visit the country.

Involving large numbers of public and private sector organisations, the programme will open up many of Qatar’s best-loved buildings to the public – in a number of cases for the very first time. It will provide a unique insight into the fabric of one of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing cities, presenting many of Doha’s most famous landmarks in a new light.

The programme will give Culture Pass members an even deeper appreciation for several iconic buildings with expert tours of the Museum of Islamic Art, designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, the Rem Koolhaas-designed Qatar National Library, Al Bidda Tower – the headquarters of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the Qatar Science and Technology Park building, and Al Jazeera Media Complex amongst others.

In all, more than 15 private and public sector organisations have pledged their support for the programme including Qatar Foundation, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, UDC and Msheireb Properties.

‘Marchitecture’ will not only shine a spotlight on many of Qatar and Doha’s modern design masterpieces, but will also celebrate Qatar’s rich heritage and history with a series of visits to Zekreet and UNESCO World Heritage site Al Zubarah.

Delivering such a full and diverse programme in close collaboration with such partners clearly reflects Qatar Museums’ ongoing commitment to providing an unparalleled range of cultural experiences to the country’s residents and visitors.

It is thanks to such innovative and engaging initiatives that the Culture Pass membership scheme continues to go from strength to strength, reaching more than 22,000 members from more than 25 nationalities since it was launched.

Recent highlights amongst the various cultural experiences available to Culture Pass members in Qatar include a hugely successful series of tours of the more than 20 pieces of public art by local and international artists exhibited at Hamad International Airport and educational visits to bring to life ancient rock carvings at Al Jassasiya as well as exclusive tours of Al Zubarah to showcase the significant history of archaeological sites.

Commenting on the development of Marchitecture, Qatar Museums Head of Partnership Sheikha Nouf Mubarak Saif Al-Thani said, “We at Qatar Museums are always striving to find synergies and create new partnerships with different stakeholders in the country. We are thrilled to see Marchitecture come to life and to be able to engage our Culture Pass members through a meticulously curated program. Qatar will always be a leader in architecture and it is our job to showcase that beauty.”

Machaille Al-Naimi, President of Community Development, Qatar Foundation said: “Qatar Foundation is honoured to participate in the upcoming ‘Marchitecture Month’, organized by Qatar Museums. The initiative presents an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our unique architecture and welcoming campus that has something to offer everyone. Education City, along with our other buildings, bears the hallmarks of excellence, innovation, and creativity, which QF seeks to instill in its members.”

Commenting on the SC's participation, SC Communications Director Fatma Al Nuaimi said: "We are delighted to be part of Qatar Museum’s exciting Marchitecture programme and look forward to welcoming the country’s Culture Pass members to Al Bidda Tower - the home of football in Qatar. The experience Culture Pass holders will get at Al Bidda Tower will not be limited to the building’s spectacular exterior design or the unique views it offers across Doha’s corniche, but will also include an exclusive tour of the SC Legacy Pavilion - an interactive World Cup experience that takes visitors through Qatar’s historic bid for the 2022 tournament and offers a chance to see all of our exciting Arab-inspired stadium designs in one place, appealing to art, architecture and sports fans.”

Noora Al-Rumaihi Manager – Communication and Public Relations at Msheireb Properties commented: “We are proud to be taking part in Marchitecture – a pivotal platform for educating the local community on Qatar’s exciting new civic-focused destination, and one that has Qatar’s historical, cultural and architectural heritage at its heart. Participants of the tours around Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) and Msheireb Museums (MM) will be immersed in an interactive experience about how MDD is reviving the city’s old commercial district with a new architectural language. It has been developed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading architects and urban planners in a way that is modern yet inspired by our heritage. Visitors on the tours will see how MDD promotes a vibrant street life and level of community interaction, setting new global standards for both environmental sustainability and smart home technology. Ultimately, these tours will educate participants on how this iconic new project aims to restore the uniqueness of Qatar’s built environment and the strong social ties that have historically defined Qatari society.”

Full details of the more than 70 film screenings, events, talks and tours are available at CulturePass.qa

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