Doha: Good news for avid puzzlers and museum-goers. Jigsaw puzzles of objects from the collection of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) can now be played online through the museum’s website for everyone to enjoy while in the comfort of their homes.
As COVID-19 keeps people indoors, playing jigsaw puzzles has been one of the ways people spend their time at home, with some countries like the US witnessing surge in demand for jigsaw puzzles.
An excellent form of mental workout, playing jigsaw puzzles has been known to improve short-term memory, problem-solving skills, and visual-spatial reasoning as well as relieve stress and promote family bond, among its many benefits.
Not only do MIA’s online puzzles improve cognitive skills but also enable people of all ages to take a closer look at the museum objects, thus develop deeper appreciation of the museum’s collections.
“Enjoy a closer look at some of our objects and keep your minds agile whist #socialdistancing - each week we will upload three new jigsaw puzzles of MIA objects,” said MIA in its official Twitter account yesterday.
Folio from the Shah Tahmasp Shahnama, Diwan of Shir ‘Ali Niva’i, and Hamza Nama Folio are the jigsaw puzzles currently available in MIA’s website, with more to come in the coming weeks. Jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts of all ages can enjoy the puzzles as they have the option to choose the number of puzzle pieces, from six up to more than 1,000 pieces.
The Museum of Islamic Art’s website has a dedicated learning resources page where visitors can access for free a rich collection of fun and educational activities for children, families and adults. Through these activities people can learn more about MIA and its collections in a fun and engaging way.
Apart from the jigsaw puzzles, there are more activities inspired by MIA’s collection and exhibitions which are available on the page. They range from printable colouring, puzzle, and spot the differences worksheets to other art activities such as creating a ka’aba and a prayer rug. There are also activities targeting specific skills such as reading comprehension and writing a book review as well as mathematical and science skills.
Links to online learning resources in other museums can also be found at MIA’s learning resources webpage.
Though MIA is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, people can still enjoy browsing hundreds of MIA’s collection which have been digitised and can be viewed in its website and via Google Arts and Culture platform.
