Recently, the internationally-acclaimed exhibition 'Pearls, Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers' opened in Beijing. The exhibition's opening comes as one of the highlights of the Qatar China 2016 Year of Culture. It highlights the importance of natural pearls from countries in the Gulf region, being a part of the region’s rich heritage and identity.

 Qatar Museums unveils exhibition in Beijing

Pearls, Treasures from the Seas and the Rivers is the first international exhibition introduced by the National Museum of China, with a focus on the history, legend, mythology and meaning of pearls from Qatar, China and around the world.

130 rare and beautiful pieces from the Qatar Museums collection, as well as a spectacular Imperial masterpiece from the National Museum of China’s own collection are on show, providing visitors with a rare opportunity to see one of the finest collections of pearl jewellery in the world.

Qatar was an important transportation hub in the ancient “Maritime Silk Road”, with its prestigious pearls trade as a crucial tie linking Eastern and Western cultures in the long course of history.

The exhibition highlights the importance of natural pearls from countries in the Gulf region, as part of the region’s rich heritage and identity.

It celebrates a wide array of stunning and important objects of historical interest to both countries, and reveals the history of the use of pearls over 2,000 years, from the Roman period until the 21st century.

The exhibition runs until the 8th January of next year at the National Museum of China in Beijing.