Doha: M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, has announced that its critically acclaimed Special Exhibition I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture has opened at ALRIWAQ in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The exhibition is on view until Saturday, February 14, 2026. Presented in collaboration with Qatar Museums (QM) and organised by M+, the Doha presentation marks the second stop of the exhibition’s world tour, following its successful presentations at M+ in Hong Kong and Power Station of Art (PSA) in Shanghai.
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture was initiated and organised by M+, curated by Shirley Surya, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+ and Aric Chen, Director, Zaha Hadid Foundation, London, and first held in Hong Kong from June 2024 to January 2025, attracting more than 225,000 visitors. Its first stop outside Hong Kong at PSA, from April to August 2025, welcomed more than 163,000 visitors. The Shanghai presentation was extended by two weeks due to the overwhelming public response.
To celebrate the launch of the Doha exhibition, QM hosted an opening event officiated by Chairperson of Qatar Museums H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Guests in attendance were Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Bernard Chan; Chief Executive Officer, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Betty Fung; Acting Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubaiya Qatar at Qatar Museums Sheikha Reem Al Thani; Director of the Museum of Islamic Art Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr; Director of Concept for the future Art Mill Museum Catherine Grenier; Artistic Director and Chief Curator, M+ Doryun Chong; Director, Collection and Exhibition, M+ Veronica Castillo; Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, son of I. M. Pei, architect, Partner and Founder of PEI Architects; and the exhibition co-curators Shirley Surya, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+ and Aric Chen, Director, Zaha Hadid Foundation, London.
Sheikha Reem said, “Qatar Museums is honoured to present I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture, a landmark exhibition offering profound insights into the life and impact of one of the most influential architects of the modern era.
“We are grateful to M+, Hong Kong for their pivotal role in bringing this exhibition to Qatar, exemplifying international collaboration and the exchange of ideas across cultures.
“By presenting Pei’s work within our evolving cultural landscape, Qatar Museums reaffirms its commitment to advancing global dialogue in art and architecture. Additionally, we are excited to announce a series of architecture workshops with esteemed architects and universities. These workshops will provide unique educational opportunities, fostering a deeper understanding of architecture’s transformative power and its capacity to shape both space and society.”
Pei’s high-profile projects were realised over seven decades with an exceptionally wide geographic reach, including the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C., the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and Qatar’s iconic building, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
