On the Move: Reframing Nomadic Pastoralism in Qatar Opens at the National Museum of China

  

On June 8, 2026, On the Move: Reframing Nomadic Pastoralism in Qatar, an exhibition jointly organized by the National Museum of China (NMC) and the National Museum of Qatar (NMQ), opened at NMC.

 

NMQ Director Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al Thani, Ambassador of the State of Qatar Mohamed Al-Dehaimi, and NMC Director Luo Wenli attended the ceremony. Directors of both museums delivered remarks. Diplomatic envoys of Arab countries in China, representatives of other museums, scholars, and journalists were also present. The ceremony was presided over by NMC Deputy Director Ding Pengbo.

 

The exhibition is the first thematic and systematic display in China that presents Qatar's nomadic life and culture, as well as an important event in promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries. Featuring approximately 150 objects, photographic works, and videos, this exhibition is organized around six themes: nomadic identities, dwellings, the living beings that share the landscape, the land itself, the art of everyday life, and lives in transition. On display are nomadic tents, Sadu handicrafts, household utensils, and decorative artworks, complemented by oral history recordings and anthropology videos. Together, these exhibits offer visitors deeper insight into how Qatar's nomadic communities have built and sustained rich social lives and developed distinctive aesthetic traditions while adapting to a challenging environment.

 

 

 

From intricate textures and patterns on finely crafted textiles to melodies of folk songs, from trust-based agreements that sustained long-distance trade to festive rituals passed down through generations, every object, custom, and oral tradition embodies the cultural legacy forged by Qatar's nomadic communities in a demanding natural environment. Together, they preserve collective memories, spiritual beliefs, and artistic aspirations of the people. Though separated by mountains and seas, civilizations speak to one another. This encounter between two cultures will take visitors on a timeless journey through the world of nomadic life, while opening a new chapter in the enduring friendship and people-to-people exchanges between China and Qatar.

 

The exhibition opened to the public on June 9 and will remain on view for three months in Gallery S3.

 

 

 

 

June 9 to September 9, 2026

Gallery S3