One of the artworks on display at the exhibition.
Doha: The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is inviting the public to immerse themselves in a rich exploration of culinary heritage through its latest exhibition, A Seat at the Table: Food & Feasting in the Islamic World.
Running until November 8, 2025, this captivating showcase, organized in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), delves into the cultural and historical significance of food across Islamic traditions.
Featuring an array of historical and contemporary artifacts from MIA, Qatar National Library, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Lusail Museum, and Qatar Museums’ General Collections, the exhibition highlights the central role of dining in fostering social and cultural connections.
From June to December 2025, MIA is hosting an engaging lineup of public programs designed to deepen visitors’ understanding of the interplay between food, faith, and culture.
These offerings cater to all ages, ensuring a dynamic experience for families, art enthusiasts, and curious minds alike.
Highlights include curator-led tours, interactive workshops, and Qatar’s first museum-based escape room, each crafted to illuminate the stories behind the exhibition’s treasures, from intricately designed tableware to rare illustrated manuscripts.
Curator-led tours, available in English on August 12 (12pm – 1pm) and September 16 2025 (12pm – 1pm), offer an intimate look at the exhibition’s artifacts.
Led by experts Teslim Sanni and Dr. Tara Desjardins, these tours unravel the narratives behind objects that shaped dining traditions in the Islamic world. Visitors can register online to secure their spots.
For thrill-seekers, The Banquet of Secrets, Qatar’s inaugural museum escape room, promises an immersive adventure. Running from July to December 20, 2025 on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, participants will navigate themed chambers inspired by Islamic scholars—Traveller, Cook, Physician, and Calligrapher—to uncover lost spices, recipes, and medicines, culminating in an invitation to a secret banquet with the Sultan.
Creative minds can explore clay artistry in the Pinch Pot for Adults workshop, to be held on August 3–5, 2025. Using coiling techniques, participants will craft detailed pottery, connecting with the tactile traditions of Islamic art. Meanwhile, children aged 7–10 can join the Planet Kids Club: Discovering Herbs and Food Through Art on October 28, 2025.
This interactive session blends gallery tours with hands-on activities, linking artwork to the sensory world of herbs and ingredients.
The MIA Library adds depth with Cures, Remedies, and Recipes: Treasures of MIA Library, a rare book display running from July to November 8, 2025. Open daily except Wednesdays, the exhibit showcases never-before-seen medical manuscripts from the MIA Gastronomy Collection, offering insights into historical healing practices.
On September 29, 2025, a thought-provoking book discussion on The Exile’s Cookbook: Medieval Gastronomic Treasures from Al-Andalus and North Africa will connect literary themes to exhibition objects, followed by a guided tour.
Younger visitors can also participate in the We Are What We Eat summer camp on August 3–5, 2025.
Designed for children aged 7–10, this program explores food, identity, and sustainability through creative workshops, fostering cultural awareness and creativity.
A legacy of the Qatar-USA 2021 Years of Culture, A Seat at the Table underscores Qatar’s commitment to cultural exchange.
For more details and to book programs, visit qm.org.qa. This exhibition and its programs promise to inspire dialogue and celebration of the rich culinary heritage of the Islamic world.
