Ramadan at the museum
This Ramadan, discover regional artistic practices under the dome with Al Manama creations, fascinating talks as well as a live oud and calligraphy performance.
Wondering what is Al Manama?
Al Manama is the Arabic word meaning “a place to rest and sleep”. The Al Manama is considered a summer Pavilion built during the hottest period across the Arabian Gulf. Much like the Japanese Tea House or the Mongolian Yurt, the Al Manama is a historic architecture that is native using sustainable forms of construction to keep the temperature cool. It is elevated from the ground allowing a breeze to continue to flow from the bottom and top, usually assembled with a Mathalah, a shaded canopy that is then covered using abandoned sails from dhow boats to further veil from the heat.
Ahmed and Rashid Bin Shabib, two renowned Emirati architects and urbanists, have brought back to life the Manamas by reinterpreting this traditional structure. Although Al Manama’s are no longer used, the Bin Shabib Brothers used this exposition to revive its important historical architecture. This Ramadan, there will be three Manamas under the dome including a Majlis, a library and a film screening space.