Pearls: Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers

National Museum of China, Beijing

Pearls: Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers exhibition focused on the history, legend and mythical status of pearls at the National Museum of China.

This large-scale exhibition jointly presented by Qatar Museums (QM), the National Museum of China and the Ministry of Culture of China was the first international exhibition introduced by the National Museum of China.

The exhibition revealed the history of the use of pearls for over 2,000 years, from the Roman period until the 21st century, with the booming of China's cultured pearl industry.

Museums & Art Exhibitions

Art Exhibitions

Display cabinets at the Pearls: Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing.

Displayed in the spectacular setting of 32 unique and antique cabinets and curated by the internationally renowned pearl expert Hubert Bari, the exhibition included 130 rare and beautiful pieces from the Qatar Museums collection and one spectacular Imperial masterpiece from the National Museum of China's collection. The exhibition was divided into six sections with over a dozen themes: 'The Natural History of Pearls', 'Pearls in the Arabian Gulf', 'Pearls in the History', 'Natural Freshwater Pearls', 'Pioneers of the Cultured Pearls' and 'Cultivating Pearls in Chinese Ways'. The exhibition highlighted the importance of natural pearls from the Gulf region and Qatar as part of its rich heritage and identity.