Beit Al Qur′an Manama
Beit Al Qur'an is a multi-purpose complex dedicated to the Islamic arts and is located in Hoora, Bahrain. Established in 1990, the complex is most famous for its Islamic museum, which has been acknowledged as being one of the most renowned Islamic museums in the world. Construction of the complex began in 1984 and the museum was officially opened in March 1990 by Abdul Latif Jassim Kanoo. It was built to "accommodate a comprehensive and valuable collection of the Qur'an and other rare manuscripts", a concept which, according to a regional magazine, is unique in the Persian Gulf region. The core of the museum's holdings is Kanoo's own collection of Qur'anic manuscripts and Islamic art, since he was reportedly said to have been an avid collector. As his collection grew, he reportedly came to feel a strong sense of responsibility toward the rare manuscripts he had acquired. In 1990, he donated his collection to the museum he established to operate a first-of-its-kind institution dedicated to the service of the Qur'an and the preservation of historic manuscripts.