3-2-1 is the newest member of the Olympic Museums Network and one of the world’s most innovative and technologically advanced museums dedicated to sports, offering an unforgettable and inspiring interactive journey through the history and legacy of sports around the globe and the Olympic Games. Through its interactive spaces and programming, 3-2-1 aims to inspire and engage its visitors and encourage the public to participate in sports and physical activity.
The Museum is built onto the side of Khalifa International Stadium. The design by Spanish architect Joan Sibina comprises two buildings: a main structure that follows the arc of the Stadium, and an attached round access building inspired by the Olympic rings. Khalifa International Stadium, part of Qatar’s Aspire Zone Foundation. The Stadium, originally constructed in 1976, will host FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ matches.
The Museum’s unique exhibits and remarkable collection present the role of sports as one of the most significant cultural developments, the history and contemporary significance of the Olympic Games, the stories of sporting heroes around the world, and the inspiring story of the development of sports in Qatar, and explore the massive impact of mega events hosted by Qatar in recent decades. The galleries–organised under the direction of Kevin Moore, PhD, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs–include:
World of Emotion, the first gallery space visitors will encounter, serves as the Museum’s reception area and lobby. It provides an overview of the Museum’s themes and the central role of sports in Qatar.
A Global History of Sport is a journey through the history of sports across the globe from ancient to modern times. The gallery includes nearly 100 objects and reproductions, ranging from the 8th century BCE to the early 20th century, accompanied by graphics, audio-visual and interactive digital elements. The gallery is organised into geographic and thematic sections, focusing on different historical periods in Europe, Asia and Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.
Olympics takes visitors from the ancient Olympic Games through to the birth of the modern Olympics and their growth and significance today. The gallery features a display of every torch from the Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 1936 onwards. Within the gallery’s Olympic Theatre is an immersive video that tells the story of the birth of the modern Olympics and introduces the geopolitical, social, and technological factors that enabled individuals, most notably Pierre de Coubertin, to revive the Olympic Games.
The Hall of Athletes is a celebration of sporting heroes from around the world. Here visitors can meet heroes, old and new, and be inspired and amazed by their journeys and achievements. Across three floors, this gallery will profile 90 athletes from across the world and the 20th and 21st centuries, representing a wide range of international sports. Included will be a series of eye-catching displays, each focusing on a different athlete and will include informative text as well as intriguing or awe-inspiring objects (both historic and replicas).
Qatar – Hosting Nation explores how the mega sports events hosted by Qatar in recent decades have become a matter of global fascination and national pride. The gallery invites visitors to explore Qatar’s outstanding reputation as a host for international sporting events starting with the Asian Games Doha 2006 and to revisit the most memorable moments of world-class events that the nation has held, including those at Khalifa Stadium since its opening in 1976.
Qatar Sports presents the inspiring story of the development of sports in Qatar, from traditional games through to the arrival of international sport and the development of international competitions. The gallery explores how sports has been and continues to be essential to the development of Qatar, looking ahead to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The gallery also brings to life Qatar’s long-established sports activities such as falconry, pearl diving and camel racing, exploring how these sports are reflected in Qatar’s oral traditions and illustrating how they are connected to Qatar’s heritage and landscape.
The Activation Zone promotes physical activity across Qatar and encourages the adoption of healthy and active lifestyles. Visitors are invited to walk through six spaces that evoke the landscape of Qatar. As they discover the park, the market and desert, the beach, city and finally the arena, visitors will participate in a variety of fun challenges.
One of the largest Olympic Museums in the world, 3-2-1 houses hundreds of objects from around the globe, from the origins of sports to the modern day. Through its participatory spaces and planned programming, the Museum aims to inspire and engage its community and encourage the public to participate in sports and physical activity.
