The Peninsula
Qatar Museums announced today that under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum will open to the public on March 31, 2022. A member of the Olympic Museums Network (OMN), 3-2-1 will be one of the world’s most innovative and technologically advanced museums dedicated to sports.
Designed by Spanish architect Joan Sibina, the museum is approximately 19,000 square metres—making it one of the largest of its kind—and is built onto Khalifa International Stadium, part of Qatar’s Aspire Zone Foundation.
“The opening of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum alongside the FIFA congress is a symbol of the importance of sports in Qatar National Vision 2030. The museum belongs to the Olympic Museums Network and is a legacy project of the Doha Asian Games 2006,” said HE Sheikha Al Mayasa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums.
“The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, comes after Qatar’s outstanding performance at the Tokyo Olympics, and just before we host the World Cup in November 2022. Culture and sports are two sides of the same coin, and there is no better time to celebrate our nation’s investments in both Culture and Sports. Two pillars that also support Qatar’s investments in Education and Health,” she added.
“We will be opening the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum at an incredible moment in the history of sports within our own nation as Qatar prepares to welcome more than a million tourists for the FIFA World Cup. These visitors may speak a myriad of languages but understand sports to be a universal dialect that promotes camaraderie among people and nations. This sentiment is evident throughout the Museum, which brings together sports, figures, and iconic moments from all different areas of the world,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani, President, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.
3-2-1 comprises seven gallery spaces housing objects from around the globe, from the origins of sports to the present day. The galleries–organised under the direction of Kevin Moore, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs–include:
· “World of Emotion,” the first gallery space visitors will encounter, serves as the Museum’s reception area and lobby. It provides an overview of the Museum’s themes and the central role of sports in Qatar.
· “A Global History of Sport” is a journey through the history of sports across the globe from ancient to modern times. The gallery includes nearly 100 objects and reproductions, ranging from the 8th century BCE to the early 20th century, accompanied by graphics, audio-visual and interactive digital elements.
· “Olympics” takes visitors from the ancient Olympic Games through to the birth of the modern Olympics and their growth and significance today. The gallery features a display of every torch from the Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 1936 onwards. Within the gallery’s Olympic Theatre is an immersive video that tells the story of the birth of the modern Olympics and introduces the geopolitical, social, and technological factors that enabled individuals, most notably Pierre de Coubertin, to revive the Olympic Games.
· “The Hall of Athletes” is a celebration of sporting heroes from around the world. Here visitors can meet heroes, old and new, and be inspired and amazed by their journeys and achievements. Across three floors, this gallery will profile 90 athletes from across the world and the 20th and 21st centuries, representing a wide range of international sports.
· “Qatar – Hosting Nation” explores how the mega sports events hosted by Qatar in recent decades have become a matter of global fascination and national pride . The gallery invites visitors to explore Qatar’s outstanding reputation as a host for international sporting events starting with the Asian Games Doha 2006.
· “Qatar Sports” presents the inspiring story of the development of sports in Qatar, from traditional games through to the arrival of international sport and the development of international competitions. The gallery explores how sports has been and continues to be essential to the development of Qatar, looking ahead to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The gallery also brings to life Qatar's long-established sports activities such as falconry, pearl diving and camel racing, exploring how these sports are reflected in Qatar’s oral traditions and illustrating how they are connected to Qatar’s heritage and landscape.
· The “Activation Zone” promotes physical activity across Qatar and encourages the adoption of healthy and active lifestyles. Visitors are invited to walk through six spaces that evoke the landscape of Qatar. As they discover the park, the market and desert, the beach, city and finally the arena, visitors will participate in a variety of fun challenges.
The Museum is built onto the side of Khalifa International Stadium and comprises two buildings: a main structure that follows the arc of the Stadium, and an attached round access building inspired by the Olympic rings.
The café and restaurant at 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum are operated by the JW Marriott with the menu concepts designed by Chef Consultant Tom Aikens, a UK-born Michelin-star chef and avid marathon runner. The 3-2-1 Café is located on the first floor of the Museum.
The restaurant, Naua, is located on the fourth floor of the Museum. Named after the Arabic word for nucleus of the seed, the restaurant promotes mindful, healthy eating.
The main gift shop, located on the Museum’s second floor, offers visitors a wide range of exclusive merchandise inspired by the legacy of sport and the Olympic Games.
The museum has collaborated with the International Physical Literacy Association to develop a National Physical Literacy Journey aimed at encouraging the community to adopt a healthy lifestyle and engage in physical activities. 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum has partnered with Accessible Qatar, a Doha based advocacy group that supports promoting Qatar as an accessible destination, to ensure that its facilities are fully accessible.