The first palm tree was planted yesterday inside the gardens of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani’s original palace, which is now part of the under construction National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ).
The palace, built at the end of the 19th century, was the residence and the ruling Seat Palace for Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani and his family.
The decision to preserve the palace, which was renovated in the 1970s to serve as the Qatar National Museum at that time, aims to build the bridge between Qatar’s heritage and its rapid development and modernisation.
The palace, an integral part of the NMoQ, will be surrounded by a semi-public park and an artificial lagoon. The first palm tree was planted by Qatar Museums acting CEO Mansour bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud along with project supervisor Astad Project Management’s CEO Ali al-Khalifa.
Speaking on the occasion, al-Mahmoud reiterated Qatar Museums’ commitment to reflecting the full vitality, complexity and diversity of the arts and traditions of Qatar, while partnering and fostering relationships to support the development of local culture.
“This was the first palm tree plantation for Qatar Museums and there will be many more to come, reflecting on the historical support of the local heritage and culture in Qatar.”
Al-Khalifa observed that the growth of the palm trees will reflect Astad’s continued growth and collaboration with Qatar Museums. “The National Museum of Qatar will further build upon the region’s heritage and will prove to be a cultural icon within Qatar.”
The ceremony was  attended by senior staff and engineers from Qatar Museums and Astad. More palm trees are to be planted in the perimetre of the NMoQ as part of the project’s sustainable scheme.