The narrative of this gallery focuses on two turning points of Qatari history: the collapse of the pearling industry and the discovery of oil. The dramatic loss at the beginning of the 20th century of Qatar’s major source of income (partly as a result of the development of cultured pearls in Japan), as well as a plague that decimated the country, and the loss of the pearling fleet in the storm known as Sanat Al Tabah, is narrated through archival newspaper stories and oral histories. After this dark time, oil was found in the region and eventually in Qatar, and this sense of hope and anticipation is communicated through an uplifting and dramatic art film created by Doug Aitken, projected across three vast gallery walls. Here you will also see exhibits relating to the early period of the oil industry, including an installation of oil pipes, and objects that signified the changing lifestyles of Qatari people such as radios, televisions and telephones, stamps and currency.