Qatar’s Slavery Museum

Bin Jelmood House is one of four heritage houses in downtown Doha that collectively form the Msheireb Museums, opened to shine a light on the traditional Qatari lifestyle. Bin Jelmood stands out from the others, however. It is dedicated to raising awareness of human bondage, and celebrating human resilience in the face of unthinkable hardship.  

The exhibition highlights the role that slavery has played in the development of civilizations throughout human history. Bin Jelmood House does not shy away from acknowledging that Qatar and other Gulf countries were not innocent bystanders. Indeed, Bin Jelmood House was an apt choice for the exhibition, as this house, like many others, once used enslaved laborers.