verwacht

Verwacht in Doha: Museum of Islamic Arts.
Men is al heel lang in verwachting.
Ongeveer zo lang als ik in Qatar ben: ruim drie jaar.
Ook dit jaar is de opening al weer twee keer uitgesteld.
Het andere museum Doha National Museum is al jaren dicht.
maar nu een publicteits offensief in Londen (jammer dat de dollar net weer sterk staat...)

uit de Peninsula

London taxis are plying on the streets with an eye-catching Qatari motif these days. The Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) has launched a major advertising campaign ahead of the much-awaited official opening of its state-of-the-art Museum of Islamic Arts.

The innovative advertisement campaign is to raise awareness of the museum among residents and tourists in the United Kingdom.

As part of the campaign, at least 30 black cabs in London will display the image of the spectacular monument and its surrounding ambience for 13 months. The eye-catching advertisements feature a distinctive image of the I M Pei-designed museum on Doha Corniche with the motto, “The Art of Civilizations”.

“We have chosen one of the world's largest, most glamorous and culturally aware cities to unveil our global advertising,” said Abdullah Al Najjar, CEO, Qatar Museums Authority. “Our advertising campaign will fuel the incredible momentum we are witnessing in the run-up to the museum opening on December 1, 2008,” he said.

The campaign will reach out to local communities in London, as well as the 26.5m people who visit London each year. The campaign is simple, memorable and easily recognizable and will raise awareness about the opening of the extravagant Museum, Al Najjar said.

According to studies, London taxi advertising is seen by more than 10.5m people every week.

"Doha has always had a pioneering spirit as a city. Our creative new advertising campaign fully reflects the museum’s aims to reach out to all cultures and will put us on the map as one of the world's most imaginative new museums,” Al Najjar said.

The Museum stands as an architectural masterpiece 50 metres off Doha's Corniche on an island made of reclaimed land. The 35,500sqm stone-clad museum is composed of a five-storey main building and a two-storey education wing, which are connected across a central courtyard.

Collected from three continents, including countries across the Middle East and as far reaching as Spain and India, the Museum's artworks date from the 7th through to the 19th century. Representing the full scope of Islamic art, the collection includes manuscripts, ceramics, metal, glass, ivory, textiles, wood and precious stones, and are of superior quality.