Under Evolution Nation, this partnership allows visitors to celebrate Qatar’s culture and contemporary identity through immersive experiences at the National Museum of Qatar and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Doha, Qatar – November, 2025: Snap Inc. has partnered with Qatar Museums (QM) to celebrate its anniversary with immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences. As part of the broader “Evolution Nation” campaign, these activations bring Qatar’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary identity to life through innovative digital storytelling.
This initiative launches with immersive AR experiences at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, inviting visitors to engage with Qatar’s cultural story through innovative digital tools.
The collaboration debuts with ARchive of Timeless Culture at NMoQ, inviting visitors to explore the museum’s timeline from the historic palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani to the Jean Nouvel–designed landmark of today. Marking a major milestone for Snap in the region, this initiative introduces the first-ever use of Spectacles, Snap’s next-generation wearable technology that enables users to interact with digital experiences overlaid on the real world. Snapchat’s AR brings hidden stories and milestones to life, creating an immersive experience. VIP guests at the 50th anniversary celebration also enjoyed a hands-free Spectacles experience for an exclusive exploration of the museum’s story.
Experience One: “Past”
Available on Snapchat and Spectacles, “Past” highlights Qatar’s first cultural hub, established in 1906 with the original White Palace. Guided by a glowing astrolabe, visitors witness its transformation in 1975 into the old Qatar National Museum, marking key milestones in the nation’s cultural journey.
Experience Two: “Present”
Exclusively on Snapchat, “Present” celebrates the museum’s evolution into a modern landmark. The exterior is transformed into a living desert rose, with petals unfolding in real time to reflect Qatar’s beauty, resilience, and connection to its environment.
Later this year, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art will debut a new AR experience for its 15th anniversary, offering visitors an innovative way to engage with modern and contemporary artworks.
Hussein Freijeh, Vice President of Snap Inc. in MENA, said: “Snapchat has a highly engaged community in Qatar and across the region, and we are proud to collaborate with the National Museum of Qatar on an initiative that connects heritage with innovation. Through the power of AR, culture travels, allowing stories to transcend time and space, and bringing history closer to people in new and meaningful ways.”
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar, said: “As we celebrate 50 years of the National Museum of Qatar, ARchive of Timeless Culture lets us honor our rich heritage while embracing innovation for the future. Through this collaboration with Snap, we invite visitors to experience Qatar’s stories in an entirely new way—connecting generations, preserving our cultural milestones, and inspiring curiosity about what comes next.”
The ARchive of Timeless Culture initiative continues Snap’s commitment to using AR as a creative medium for cultural exchange and education. Together, Snap and NMOQ continue to explore how technology can preserve heritage and reimagine it for generations to come.
About Snap Inc.
Snap is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. The Company’s three core products are Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world; Lens Studio, an augmented reality platform that powers AR across Snapchat and other services; and it’s AR glasses, Spectacles.
For more information, visit snap.com.
About Qatar Museums
Now marking its 20th anniversary, Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of museums and festivals including the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, and Design Doha. Future projects include Dadu: Children’s Museum of Qatar, Art Mill Museum, Qatar Auto Museum and the Lusail Museum.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, M7, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.
About National Museum of Qatar
The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) preserves and celebrates the history of Qatar. It engages with its present and inspires the country’s ambitions for the future. The Museum, which opened in March 2019, gives voice to the country’s culture and heritage through artefacts, oral histories, music, films, and artworks. The NMoQ takes the visitor on an immersive and multisensory journey of its 1.5 km thematic and chronological galleries. The iconic building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, is inspired by the desert rose and comprises of large interlocking disks of different diameters and curvatures that surround the restored historic palace of the late Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, ruler of Qatar (1880 – 1957). Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Thani serves as director.
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