Museum of Islamic Art closes on 25 October 2026

The Museum of Islamic Art in Doha will close to the public on 25 October 2026, according to the venue's current calendar. The building, also known by its local Arabic name through the museum's own bilingual services, stands beside the Corniche and is one of Qatar's main cultural institutions.

Museum of Islamic Art closure is set for 25 October 2026

The official notice gives one precise date: Sunday, 25 October 2026. It does not state a reason for the closure, so visitors should not plan to enter the galleries on that day. The date falls within the current travel-planning period and is the central change affecting a visit to the museum in late October.

The same calendar lists the Majlis Film Club for 18 October 2026, the Majlis Book Club for 19 October 2026 and Planet Kids Club for 27 October 2026. It also lists the English Tour: Through the Curator's Eye on 27 October 2026. These entries show that the closure notice sits within an active programme, rather than replacing the museum's wider autumn schedule. The official museum calendar carries both the closure date and the venue details.

Museum of Islamic Art links the closure to a major collection

Founded in 2008, the museum was designed by Chinese American architect I. M. Pei and occupies a waterfront position on Doha's Corniche. Its collections cover Islamic art from the seventh to the twentieth centuries, including manuscripts, metalwork, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork, textiles, coins, precious stones and glass.

The building's setting makes the closure especially relevant to travellers combining museum visits with the Corniche. The museum is on a purpose-built island beside Doha's waterfront promenade, while the permanent galleries are arranged around broad historical, cultural and geographical themes. The relationship between the date and the building is therefore practical: on 25 October 2026, neither the collection galleries nor the temporary exhibition spaces should be treated as an available indoor stop. The Qatar tourism profile confirms the Corniche setting, the island location and Pei's role as architect.

Late October programmes remain listed around the closure

The venue calendar includes Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion until 28 November 2026 in the Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Temporary Exhibitions Gallery. It also lists Ektashif Uzbekistan Exhibition until 28 November 2026 in the Fourth Floor West Side Gallery.

Those listings give the closure a clear visitor consequence. Travellers arranging a cultural itinerary for Doha can see that exhibitions and programmes are scheduled around 25 October 2026, but the official notice takes precedence for that Sunday. No assumption about access to the indoor galleries should be made on the closure date itself.

Visiting Museum of Islamic Art: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The announced closure applies on 25 October 2026 and concerns the public visit to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
• The venue calendar lists Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion and Ektashif Uzbekistan Exhibition until 28 November 2026, but neither exhibition provides access on the closure date.
• The museum is located off Al Corniche Street in Doha, beside the waterfront promenade and on a purpose-built island.
• The building was designed by I. M. Pei and the permanent galleries present Islamic art from the seventh to the twentieth centuries.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Museum of Islamic Art

When does the Museum of Islamic Art close?

The museum will be closed to the public on 25 October 2026. The official notice does not give a reason for the closure.

Where is the Museum of Islamic Art?

It stands off Al Corniche Street in Doha, on a purpose-built island beside the city's waterfront promenade.

What is the Museum of Islamic Art?

It is a Doha museum founded in 2008 and designed by I. M. Pei, with collections covering Islamic art from the seventh to the twentieth centuries.