Overview
About This Place
Did you know?The Heritage Library inside QNL holds manuscripts over 1,000 years old — some of the only surviving copies of ancient Islamic texts in the world.
Designed by OMA's Rem Koolhaas, the Qatar National Library opened in 2018 in Education City. Its folded diamond-shaped exterior unfolds into a vast, column-free interior where bookshelves line the sloping walls. The library holds over a million books and the Heritage Library, preserving rare Islamic manuscripts.
مكتبة قطر الوطنية
Maktabat Qatar Al-Wataniyya
National Library of Qatar
History
Historical Significance
Conceived as part of Qatar Foundation's vision to build a knowledge-based economy, OMA was commissioned to design a building that would be architecturally iconic and functionally transformative. It replaced and expanded the previous national library and became one of the most visited cultural institutions in the country.
Construction Milestones
Building Qatar National Library
2008
Qatar Foundation commissions Rem Koolhaas and OMA to design a new national library in Education City — brief: make it architecturally transformative.
2012
Construction begins on the folded diamond form — an engineering challenge requiring a fully column-free interior with sloping book-lined walls.
2018
Qatar National Library opens to the public, winning international architecture awards and becoming a landmark of Education City.
Present
Houses over one million volumes including the Heritage Library, preserving rare Islamic manuscripts up to 1,000 years old.
Planning Your Visit
When to Go
Best Time to Visit — hover a month
Jan
Jan
Weather: Mild
Crowds: Moderate
Feb
Feb
Weather: Warm
Crowds: Moderate
Mar
Mar
Weather: Hot
Crowds: Moderate
Apr
Apr
Weather: Very hot
Crowds: Moderate
May
May
Weather: Very hot
Crowds: Moderate
Jun
Jun
Weather: Extreme heat
Crowds: Moderate
Jul
Jul
Weather: Extreme heat
Crowds: Moderate
Aug
Aug
Weather: Extreme heat
Crowds: Moderate
Sep
Sep
Weather: Very hot
Crowds: Moderate
Oct
Oct
Weather: Hot
Crowds: Moderate
Nov
Nov
Weather: Warm
Crowds: Moderate
Dec
Dec
Weather: Mild
Crowds: Busy
Gallery
In Photos
Location