Collecting practices of the Al-Thani Family Abu Dhabi’s cultural policies: "While Abu Dhabi is making a name for itself by building dramatic local satellites of the Louvres, the Guggenheim and the British Museum, Qatar's scheme of cultural nation building is much more homegrown, establishing its own museums rooted in the collections of its own royal family." Several members of the Al-Thani family initially led Qatar's interest and involvement into the field of arts and continue to embody and shape the cultural policy of the country. For William Lawrie, previously Head of International Modern Contemporary Arab and Iranian Art at Christie's, “Qatar’s royal family are very much
House of Al Thani They settled in Doha in the 19th century under their leader Mohammed bin Thani. The group was named after the father of Mohammad, Thani bin Mohammad. The family is made of four main factions: Bani Qassim, Bani Ahmed, Bani Jaber, and Bani Thamer. As of the early 1990s, the number of the family members was estimated to be about 6,000. The leadership transitions in 1913, 1949, 1960, and 1995 were all forced abdications. These abdications were forced by a nephew in one incident and sons in the others. However, none of the forced abdications toppled the Al Thani dynasty, which