3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum

The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum is built into Khalifa International Stadium in the Aspire Zone sports district of Doha. It was opened on 30 March 2022 by the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, shortly before Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup. It is part of Qatar Museums and is described as one of the largest sports museums in the world.

The building was designed by the Spanish architect Joan Sibina and covers about 19,000 square metres. Its name comes from the countdown at the start of a race.

The museum has seven main galleries. They trace the story of sport from ancient times to the modern Olympic Games, with objects such as Olympic torches, medals and sporting kit from famous athletes. Other galleries focus on Qatar's own sporting history, including traditional games, falconry, camel racing and the rise of football in the country, as well as the athletes who won Olympic medals for Qatar. The Sport Gallery lets visitors test their own skills in interactive zones for running, jumping and ball games, which makes the museum popular with families.

Accessibility was built into the design, with step-free routes and partnerships with groups supporting people with disabilities.

Non-resident adults pay QAR 50 and non-resident students QAR 25, while Qatar residents with a QID and children under 16 enter free. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Sport City station on the Doha Metro Gold Line is nearby.

From World of Emotion to the Olympics gallery

The galleries are arranged as a journey. World of Emotion opens with the feelings that sport creates in players and fans. A Global History of Sport covers games from ancient civilisations onward, and the Olympics gallery follows the modern Games from Athens 1896. The Hall of Athletes honours 90 sports figures from around the world.

The last three galleries turn to Qatar. Qatar Hosting Nation covers the major events the country has staged, from the Asian Games to the World Cup, and Qatar Sports tells the story of its own athletes and traditional pastimes. The Activation Zone closes the visit with interactive challenges.

Khalifa Stadium and Aspire Park next door

The museum is built into Khalifa International Stadium, where England, Japan and Croatia played World Cup matches in 2022. Aspire Park, the city's largest park, lies next door and is a pleasant walk in the cooler months.