The museum is influenced by traditional
Islamic architecture yet has a uniquely modern design involving geometric patterns. It is the first of its kind to feature over 14 centuries of Islamic art in the
Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Occupying an area of , the museum is on an artificial peninsula overlooking the south end of
Doha Bay. Construction of the building was done by a Turkish company, Baytur Construction, in 2006. The interior gallery spaces were designed by a team of Wilmotte Associates. The museum was opened on November 22, 2008, by the then-emir of Qatar,
Sheikh Hamad. It opened to the general public on December 8, 2008. At 91 years of age, the museum's architect,
I. M. Pei had to be coaxed out of retirement to undertake this enterprise. He traveled throughout the Muslim world on a six-month quest to learn about Muslim architecture and history and read Muslim texts to draw inspiration for his design. According to Pei, the light fountain in 9th century
Ibn Tulun Mosque of
Cairo was the inspiration. Declining all proposed sites for the museum, he suggested a stand-alone island for the structure to avoid encroachments by other buildings in the future. It was built off an artificial peninsula, approximately off the
Doha Corniche and surrounded by a somewhat crescent-shaped park. Pei utilized creamy
limestone for the outer facades to emphasize the various shades during the different times of the day. The five floors are covered by a glass facade to the north, and it provides a panoramic view of the
Persian Gulf. The interior of the building is decorated by several Islamic arts, and the large metallic chandelier hung over the main staircase of the lobby. Many elements found in Ibn Tulun Mosque are represented in the building as an abstract form. This enables the agreement with values and principles of the
postmodern architecture historical trend which synchronize the modernity and the historical Islamic architectural identity. In June 2022 MIA Director Julia Gonnella introduced the museum's revised concept of an 'immersive cultural experience' to attract additional visitors and to enable families and young visitors to explore
Islamic art. In August 2022 the official reopening date was confirmed for 5 October 2022 with an increased number of more than 1,100 mostly newly acquired exhibits on display. The renovations provided better accessibility and an improved educational environment including digital presentations and subjects interesting to younger visitors. The museum also added a 3-D tour to its website. The museum reopened on 4 October 2022, during the National Cultural Event of "Qatar Creative", which provides an opportunity to bring together Qatar's creative industries with the wider public community. Its 18 newly renovated galleries, covering an area of 480,000 square feet, display Islamic art from the seventh to the 20th centuries, divided according to their historical eras and their cultural and geographical backgrounds, which allows visitors of modern Doha an extended insight into Islamic history. The renovated museum's first exhibition, ''Baghdad: Eye's Delight'' presents the traditions and history of
Iraq's capital. The exhibition includes also objects loaned from the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York and the
Louvre in
Paris. == Collection ==