
Newly opened museum: The National Museum of Qatar, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, is inspired by the shape of a desert rose.

Inside the museum: The museum finally opened on March 28, having been 18 years in the making.

Pricey project: The building cost $434 million to build.

11 galleries: The museum is made up of 11 galleries and it's a 1.5-kilometer journey through three "chapters" of Qatari history.

National chapters: The three "chapters" are entitled Beginnings, Life in Qatar, and Building the Nation.

Historical country: Qatar is a tiny country, it's just a little smaller than the US state of Connecticut -- but it's got a long history.

Past meets present: The museum wants to bring together past and present.

Artistic hub: The museum is filled with artworks commissioned from local and international artists.


