As the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the whole world, the rectangular screen has been the constant companion of many people while they remain locked in their homes to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. With this totally unprecedented shift in people’s way of life, it is now not uncommon for public and private entities to redirect their gaze to online platforms to reach the confines of homes during these uncertain times.
And museums are no exception. Museums around the world have learned to adapt to the new norm by veering away from their conventional function of acquiring, preserving and exhibiting materials while moving into the virtual world to expand their reach beyond their walls. Qatar Museums (QM) have joined the platform and more, as it presents online initiatives that do not purely focus on art and history but also touch on various aspects of human life.
In doing so, QM does not only offer a slew of things for people to engage in and get entertained during a period of self-isolation but also promotes love for learning and upholds positive values needed during these times specially among children. Since its doors temporarily closed as preventive measures against COVID-19, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) has been uploading storytelling and instructional videos via social media that inspire and promote education while bringing its collection closer to the public.
A brief video introduction on MIA which is available in various languages such as Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Farsi have been uploaded to its social media channels welcoming visitors to its rich collection of materials dating from 7th to 19th Century.
The collection spanning metalwork, wood, jewellery, textile, glass and other materials can be found in the museum’s website or viewed in stunning detail via Google Arts and Culture. Videos of interesting activities that families can do at home can also be found in MIA’s website and social media channels. They include making Ramadan paper weave and lantern, creating tile using cuerda seca technique, making kaa’ba with simple mathematical net, and creating astrolabe and eight— and ten-pointed stars.
The activities have been inspired by MIA’s collections and previous exhibitions. Children can colour an earring from MIA’s “Set in Stone” exhibition, do a wordsearch from “Syria Matters” exhibition, have a colouring session based on “Marvellous Creatures” exhibition or create their own Spix Macaw from an upcoming exhibition titled “A Falcon’s Eye; Tribute to Sheikh Saoud Al Thani.”
Children and adults can play online jigsaw puzzles based on MIA’s collection including manuscripts such as Folio from the Shah Tahmasp Shahnama, Diwan of Shir ‘Ali Niva’i, and Hamza Nama Folio as well as textiles such as The Franchetti Tapestry, The Rothschild Small Silk Carpet and 15th Century Nasrid Textile.
Storytelling sessions for young children both in English and Arabic are also presented by the museum through social media. Besides, there are activities targeting specific literacy skills such as reading comprehension and writing a book review as well as mathematical and science skills. Furthermore, links to more materials from other museums in other countries can be found in MIA’s learning portal.
To promote family bonding during this time, the Qatar Children’s Museum (QCM) being developed by QM has started hosting daily workshops for families in its Instagram account. Using everyday materials found in homes, the live sessions presented in Arabic and English combine learning and play arousing great interest among children to participate in activities that develop learning across different domains including cognitive, psychomotor and affective.
The online workshops carried out by QCM’s Learning and Outreach Department were launched even before construction of the museum begins to aid families that are sheltering at home during the pandemic. The fun and educational workshops include varied activities that cover wide-ranging areas such as art, crafts, literacy, science, and cooking among others. In the past four weeks, children have enjoyed the virtual workshops that spark curiosity, promote learning new skills, and instil important values in them.
For a while, children’s attention have been diverted from the anxiety of the pandemic to doing creative activities and learning new skills. Children and their families had a great time creating their own homemade sand using flour and cooking oil, making beautiful paper flower bouquets, finding their creative expression through monoprinting, learning to make and use a moon tracker and painting using bubble art.
They also enjoyed making sweet jam, baking delicious banana muffin, creating rainbow toast, making tasty and colourful popsicles, and making pizza for birds. They practised literacy and scientific skills through a travelling water experiment, upcycling plastic containers to decorative accessories, map making, and creating their own cloud in a cup. The QCM will be the first institution of its kind in the gulf, enriching the lives of children and their families by providing an unparalleled space for learning through open-ended play, exploration and experimentation.
The new museum is being designed to nurture, challenge and inspire children, fuelling their creativity and encouraging their empathy and understanding. A variety of stimulating, interactive and accessible indoor and outdoor experiences will offer families the opportunity to have fun by playing and learning together. Joining other museums in offering online activities, the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM) has launched “321 Activation,” a daily online series of workshops and fitness challenges with athletes, expert trainers and health professionals in Qatar.
The series, which airs on the museum’s Instagaram account Sundays through Thursdays at 2pm, is aimed at supporting families sheltering at home during the pandemic while encouraging everyone to remain active. One of the segments is “321 Inspiration” which provides a sneak peek at the future Museum’s programme educating the community about the Olympic Values through inspiring stories.
The “321 Skills & Challenge” comprises fitness challenges each week to encourage activity and build upon strength while the “321 Active @ Home” consists of home fitness sessions for the whole family, featuring QOSM’s “Active Heroes” and Active Family– members of the community with inspirational stories to share about the impact of fitness on their lives.
An important component of the programme is “321 Health & Fitness” in which athletes in Qatar share their current physical fitness routines from their own homes, inspiring viewers to create their own. The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum will inspire people to take part in sports and physical activity, and educate the community about the origins of Global, Olympic and Qatari sports.
The museum aims to preserve the history of sports, from origins to modern day, making it accessible to all who live in or visit Qatar. Art enthusiasts who have penchant for Arab art can access rich content artists from Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art’s increasing art collection through Mathaf’s online encyclopaedia. The Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World is a bilingual, peer-reviewed online resource providing free in-depth information on modern and contemporary artists from the Arab world.
This free online encyclopaedia provides useful information and resources on modern and contemporary Arab art and artists as well as promotes profound appreciation of art as it delves deep into the life, works, and thoughts of some of the most important artists in the Arab world.
The public can access works included in Mathaf’s collection galleries via its website. Through its social media accounts, Mathaf features Artist of the Week which puts the spotlight on an important Arab artist, his life and works, exhibitions and interviews.
Additionally, Mathaf’s social media channels showcase objects from its previous and current exhibitions as well as feature weekly quizzes. As it spreads around the world like a wildfire, COVID-19 coronavirus is sweepingly transforming the society in so short a time in a way no one has ever imagined.
Museums have adapted to changes brought by the pandemic by playing a more active role in the lives of people through online engagement seen to continue even when the crisis is over.
