The Qatar Museums (QM) Public Art Department is responsible for overseeing the installation of artwork by renowned artists in the public realm in Qatar, creating an artist residency program for young local artists to help them develop their skills,Doha Fire Station to turn into artist hub Qatar Tribune, 6 March 2014 organizing exhibitions featuring international artists and developing an online community of both local and international creative talents. The QM intends to develop Qatar into a world-class cultural destination, notably in modern and contemporary art.Qatar revealed as the world’s biggest contemporary art buyer
Alongside the aim of increasing the number and visibility of art attractions, Qatar Museums provides material support to local artists, such as Fatma Al Sharshani, showcasing Qatar's history and culture in a bid to enhance the country's art attractions and draw tourists.
According to Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of QM: “Through displaying various forms of art in public space, we aim to inspire local talent and establish an organic connection between art and the local community.” By 2022, more than 100 public artworks were installed across Qatar.
Public art at Hamad International Airport Artwork installed at Hamad International Airport includes Untitled (Lamp/Bear) by Urs Fischer. Created out of bronze by Urs Fischer, this piece is situated in the main lobby after security. It signifies the reminder of childhood memories and intimate objects to travelers globally, inviting them to appreciate the concept of traveling the same way that Fischer travelled back in time to create it.
The Other Worlds installation by well-known American sculptor Tom Otterness consists of eight bronze sculptures located in Terminal C of the airport and is part of Otterness's Playground series. The installation functions as an artistic artwork as well as a playground by incorporating slides into the sculptures and allowing children to climb and explore them.
Tom Claasen, a Dutch artist, produced a series of Arabian oryx sculpture pieces in bronze. These are currently situated in the airport's East Arrival Hall, while Claassens "Falcon" sculpture is located on the edge of the airport.
Adel Abdessemed created Mappes Monde, featuring two global maps modeled from tin cans.
Untitled by Rudolf Stingel is in the Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall. The piece is made up of three surfaces covered with reflective aluminum panels. Before the opening of the airport, the artist asked members of the construction team to draw on these surfaces. Later, the artist cast them in copper and coated them with gold.
Ahmed Al Bahrani created A Message of Peace to the World, located in the Passenger Train's South Node station. The bronze cube was inspired by the work of Reach Out to Asia, a non-profit organization in Qatar that supports primary and secondary education in underprivileged Asian countries.
Flying Man by the Iraqi artist Dia Al-Azzawi is located in the Arrivals Meet and Greet Hall. It consists of two sculptures inspired by ancient Mesopotamian pillars and the story of Abu Firnas, one of the first Muslims to test out flying.
Small Lie by the American artist Kaws, in the North node of the Airport resembles a wooden marionette. It is tall, made of Afrormosia wood and weighs 15 tons. The intention is to make the person standing in front of it feel small.
The French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel created Cosmos, which stands in the North node of the airport. The sculpture is inspired by the world's oldest Islamic astrolabe, an artefact in Qatar's Museum of Islamic Art, symbolizing the different paths that passengers take around the world.
Arctic Nurseries of El Dorado by the British artist Marc Quinn, is located in the departures hall before passport control. The artist combined his interest in flowers, specifically the orchid, with his interest in genetic manipulation and DNA. It is made of painted bronze. In June 2025, a collection of seven interactive bronze wildlife sculptures by Gillie and Marc called "Wildlife Wonderscapes" was installed at the airport.
Capture the Essence of Qatar "Capture the Essence of Qatar" was a juried photography competition by Qatar Museums and Hamad International Airport allowing participants to showcase their very best creative and imaginative images of Qatar in digital photography.
The competition celebrates the achievements of Qatar, past and present, and the passion of the people who live and work there. It aims to represent the country's heritage, culture and the Qatar National Vision 2030. Four winners were selected and their work projects on large screens in the Departure Hall.
Local Qatari artists
The artwork of a number of local artists has been selected by the Qatar Museums for display in lounges and public spaces around the airport: Dialogue with self 1, Amal Al Aathem Relaxations, Salman Al Malik Steps, Salman Al Malik Reflection of a Man, Amal Al Rabban Heart 1, Mubarak Al Malik Heart 2, Mubarak Al Malik Calligraphy 1, Hessa Kalla Depth 1, Ahmed Al Hamar Depth 2, Ahmed Al Hamar Heritage 2, Wadha Al Sulaiti Heritage 3, Wadha Al Sulaiti Shift to Light I, Yousef Ahmad Shift to Light II, Yousef Ahmad Shift to Light III, Yousef Ahmad
Public Art outside of Doha
East-West/West-East by Richard Serra Qatar Museums unveiled a major landscape commission, East-West/West-East, by American artist Richard Serra in the Zekreet Peninsula in western Qatar, approximately from the capital Doha.The Independent, 21 April 2014
Set in a natural corridor formed by gypsum plateaus, East-West/West-East spans over a kilometre in length, and crosses the peninsula of the Brouq Nature Reserve connecting the waters of the Gulf. East-West/West-East consists of four steel plates measured by their relation to the topography. The plates, which rise to and above the ground, are level to each other; they are also level to the gypsum plateaus on either side. Despite the great distance that the plates span, all four can be seen and explored from either end of the sculpture.
Shadows Travelling on the Sea of the Day by Olafur Eliasson Made of steel, fiberglass and mirrors, the large circular artworks are located in the desert and can be seen from afar. When up close and walking under the display, the mirrors reflect the sand, so by looking up viewers can see the ground. Olafur Eliasson, an Icelandic-Danish artist, created the twenty circular shelters to allow visitors to perceive the world from a different angle.
Maqam I, Maqam II, Maqam III by Simone Fattal Simone Fattal's Maqam I, Maqam II and Maqam III are three granite sculptures located near the archaeological site of Al Zubarah. Designed to resemble both dunes and tents to depict the history and landscape of Qatar, the blue granite sticks out from the natural pink environment around it.
Slug Turtle, TemplEarth by Ernesto Neto Brazil's Ernesto Neto created the Slug Turtle, TemplEarth to pay tribute to the natural environment and create space in which visitors can reflect, connect with the spirit of the desert as well as meditate. The structure is made out of 8 football goal frames placed in an octagonal ring covered by a crocheted white netting, with a ceramic globe structure in the middle of it.
Dugong Family by Ahmed Al Bahrani Iraqi sculptor Ahmend Al Bahrani, inspired by the fact that Qatar has the second largest population of dugongs after Australia, created the Dugong Family sculpture. The sculpture, which consists of a family of six dugongs that appear to be floating on the sand, is located on Al Ruwais beach.
Public Art in the MIA Park
7 by Richard Serra
The sculpture is very popular to viewers around the world and has made appearances in several cities such as London, Paris, Geneva, Buenos Aires and St Petersburg. Commissioned by the QM, Richard Serra's landmark 7, an steel sculpture, is the tallest public art piece in Qatar and the tallest Richard Serra has ever conceived. As a focal point of MIA Park, the sculpture is also Serra's first sculpture to be showcased in the Middle East."7" Up: Richard Serra Unveils New Sculpture in Doha, 20 December 2011 Constructed from seven steel plates arranged in a heptagonal shape, the work celebrates the scientific and spiritual significance of the number seven in Islamic culture.Richard Serra: 7 sculpture at the museum of Islamic art, Doha
Us, Her, Him by Najla El Zein French Lebanese artist Najla El Zein sculpted Us, Her, Him which are located around the Flag Plaza. The spanning limestone benches are sculpted to reflect upon human interactions and place importance on human connection.
Bench by Saloua Raouda Choucair Saloua Raouda Choucair (1916-2017) was a Lebanese artist who created the Bench at the waterfront in MIA Park. The work consists of a half circle made up of seventeen limestone pieces.
Folded Extracted Personified by Liam Gillick Made up of ten irregularly shaped panel structures which fold and zigzag together, Folded Extracted Personified by Liam Gillick is located at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park. It is an interactive display, which combines sculptures and playground features. The large panels have random circular cut outs in which visitors can peer through.
Further artworks at MIA Park In April 2025, Qatar Museums unveiled Nairy Baghramian's sculptural installation "Privileged Points" at MIA Park. In November 2025, Qatar Museums presented Peter Fischli and David Weiss's "Rock on Top of Another Rock", formed from two granite boulders balanced on top of each other.
Public Art at the Doha Corniche and Al Bidda Park The Doha Corniche is a long waterfront promenade at the coast of Doha located near the Museum of Islamic Art, while the Al Bidda Park overlooks the Doha Corniche.
Acacia-Tree Seed by Mohammed Al-Ateeq Mohammed Al-Ateeq's Acacia Tree Seed is a sculpture located within the Post Office Park and is a representation of human nature, both good and bad. Al-Ateeq is a Qatari artist and was Chairman of the Qatar Fine Arts Association from 2006 until 2013, until 2017 he held the position as Regency Art General Manager there.
Doha Mountains by Ugo Rondinone Located near the 974 Stadium at the Ras Abou Aboud beachfront, the Doha Mountains are made up of vertically stacked rocks that are painted in colors representing the Olympic rings. Inspired by natural Hoodoos and the art of meditative rock stacking, they represent a combination of geological formations and abstract compositions.
Milestones by Shua'a Ali Milestones is a representation of the transformation that occurred over the past five decades to the Qatar financial systems and is made up of three elements. The 2 ropes around one stone relate to the 2 month dive, the 4 ropes around another to the 40 day dive, while the golden stone stands for wealth and prosperity. Ali emphasizes the meaning and significance of Qatar's financial state throughout the years through the use of raw materials. Her style of art is similar throughout her work in Public art, similarly to Tawazun she uses materials you can find in both urban and rural areas which makes her art style unique in comparison to many others.
Clay Court by Faye Toogood Made up of 17 large hand-shaped clay sculptures, Clay Court is located near the Qatar National Theater. Each sculpture is made specifically for its location and is designed to represent seats, benches and arches.
Al Jassasiya 2022 by Salman Al-Malek Al Jassasiva 2022 is a sculpture inspired by the petroglyphs at the Al Jassasiya Rock Art Site and depicts a boat with paddles of various sizes that are abstractly connected. The Al Jassasiya Rock Art Site is an archaeology site located at an old sea port containing over 900 petroglyphs, the majority having been created about 250 years ago by fishermen of the area.
The Doha Modern Playground by Shezad Dawood