Museum of Islamic Art

Museum of Islamic Art, offshore museum in Doha, Qatar, located on the southern end of Doha Bay. It is noted for its vast collection of Islamic art spanning 1,300 years. The museum, which opened in 2008, was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese American architect I.M. Pei, with an interior designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. While it maintains a style typical of Pei’s work, the building incorporates elements that can be seen in ancient Middle Eastern structures. Its collection includes many prized examples of Arabic calligraphy, early Islamic books, ceramics, glass, ivory, jewelry, metalwork, miniatures, textiles, and woodwork.

(Read Sister Wendy’s Britannica essay on art appreciation.)