Inside the Alhazm mall is a small collection of rare and valuable books in a lavish library that’s free to enter.
Visit the Alhazm Cultural Center to find a library of classic books inside a shopping mall. The center is, in fact, primarily a small wood-paneled library, but it contains a very expensive and rare collection of books in beautiful leather-bound volumes. If shopping at the mall is proving a little too much for your budget, take a detour to the Alhazm Cultural Center for something totally free.
Part of the Alhazm mall’s mission is to promote art, culture and luxury. The library has several different reading rooms and is designed to look like a traditional academic library, similar to one you might find in a European university. The shelves are stocked with rare manuscripts, encyclopedias and books on art, architecture and the Islamic world, as well as magazines. Use the resources at the center to learn about Qatar and other parts of the Middle East.
Browse the collection of rare and valuable books, which include classics written in English and Arabic. Pick a book of your choice and have a seat on one of the sumptuous red crushed velvet banquettes.
Enjoy the surroundings. The décor in the library is as luxurious as the rest of the mall, with ornate carved wooden staircases, wood paneling, old-fashioned globes and crystal chandeliers.
The Alhazm Cultural Center is inside Alhazm, a luxurious new shopping destination that is modeled on the shopping arcades of Italy. The mall is about 20 minutes by car from the center of Doha. Use the valet parking or on-site underground parking lot. If you're traveling on public transportation, take the bus from the Al Ghanim bus station.
Alhazm mall and the Alhazm Cultural Center are mostly frequented by locals, so the dress code is fairly conservative. Dress modestly and avoid exposing too much bare skin by wearing shorts or short skirts. Note that visitors dressed inappropriately may be asked to leave.
For more information about the library and mall, visit the Alhazm official website.
