100 Islamic treasures from the Louvre are headed to the Asian Civilisations Museum

Here’s your chance to see masterpieces from one of the world’s most significant collections of Islamic art. Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is collaborating with the Louvre, one of the world’s most prestigious museums, on Crosscurrents: Masterpieces of Mughal, Safavid, and Ottoman Art from the Musée du Louvre, running from June 19, 2026 to January 24, 2027. 

You’ve heard of the Louvre, a landmark museum in Paris that welcomes millions of visitors every year and is regarded as the world’s most famous museum – so it’s safe to say having its collection travel all the way to Singapore is a pretty huge deal.

The Singapore show turns the spotlight on three of history’s great empires: the Mughal Empire, the Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, these dynasties dominated large regions of Asia, shaping everything from trade routes and political alliances to artistic trends. Today, their courts and artistic traditions are often studied within what museums and historians call the “Islamic world” – a cultural and historical space that spans West, Central and South Asia, and beyond.

Artists across these empires produced some of the world’s most dazzling objects – think finely illustrated manuscripts, lavish decorative arts, ceramics, metalwork, and treasures that once belonged to royal collections. Many of these pieces later entered the Louvre’s collection, some of which you’ll get to see in person soon. 

What makes Crosscurrents especially interesting, however, is that ACM isn't simply displaying the Louvre’s masterpieces and then calling it a day. Throughout the exhibition, Southeast Asian objects from ACM's own collection are also woven into the narrative, creating interesting dialogues between regions that were seemingly unrelated but actually connected through trade and diplomacy. You’ll also learn how artistic influences were able to travel across continents long before social media and global supply chains ever existed.

Find out more about ACM here.

Crosscurrents: Masterpieces of Mughal, Safavid, and Ottoman Art from the Musée du Louvre will run at ACM's Islamic Art Gallery (Level 2) and Design Gallery (Level 3). Admission is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, while foreign residents and tourists can purchase tickets from $25.

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