 Several senior members of Qatar's ruling Al Thani family are noted collectors of Islamic and contemporary art.The Museum of Islamic Art, opened in 2008, is regarded as one of the best museums in the region.This, and several other Qatari museums, like the , falls under the Qatar Museums Authority ("QMA") which is led by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the sister of the ruling Emir of the State of Qatar, and the prominent collector and art patron Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed Al Thani.