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On October 18, the British Museum opens its stylish new Islamic World galleries. To mark the grand opening, they're staying open until 9.30pm on Friday with a series of free events including storytelling, crafts, performances, talks and the chance to handle objects normally kept behind glass.
The suite of rooms contains the BM’s substantial collection of treasures connected to Islamic communities across the globe. Visitors can expect to see a fascinating variety of artworks and everyday objects. There’ll be fourteenth-century books, Turkish shadow puppets, incense burners, ceramics, jewellery, paintings, cooking pots, dresses, and much more.
And if that wasn’t enough, two site-specific commissions from contemporary artists Idris Khan and Ahmad Angawi will also be on show when it opens. British artist Khan has created ‘21 Stones’, a group of drawings based on the Hajj ritual ‘The Stoning of the Jamarat’. Saudi Arabian artist Angawi, meanwhile, has created Mangour window screens from walnut wood that stretch across five of the gallery’s windows.
The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World is designed by architecture firm Stanton Williams, the same company behind the recent transformation of the Royal Opera House.
Check out how good it looks for yourself with more information here.