Museum Collection
Rotation Theme: Sound and Music

The Museum Collection Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.

A Romance of Many Dimensions

Cocks do not fight for their household gods, for the monuments of their ancestors, for glory, for liberty or for the safety of their children, but only because one will not give way to the other. 
- Themistocles

The Silk Road: A Living History

Embark on a life-affirming quest across continents and cultures — without leaving the calming environs of the Aga Khan Park.

*Terms and Conditions Apply by Ghazaleh Avarzamani

See the Aga Khan Museum in a new light with Ghazaleh Azarzamani’s exhibition *Terms and Conditions Apply.

Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads

See 1,000 years of history leap off the page on a book-fuelled journey across the Silk Roads.

Rust Garden

What does it mean to be Canadian in the 21st century? A new art installation at the Aga Khan Museum challenges audiences to express their own idea of what it means to be Canadian from the rusting — literally — remains of stories from the past.

State of Play

What do a ball, stick, rope, and hoop represent to you?

State of Play, the Aga Khan Museum’s new multifaceted exhibition, shows the transformative nature of the games people play.

Museum Collection
Rotation Theme: Bloom

The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.

Land/s by Gohar Dashti

The Museum’s latest outdoor photo exhibition encourages you to reflect upon what “home” means to you while celebrating the astonishing beauty of the natural world.

Faig Ahmed: Dissolving Order

Remix tradition with this striking show celebrating the work and ideas of Baku-based artist Faig Ahmed. 

Kumbi Saleh 3020 CE by Ekow Nimako

Bask in the sleek magnificence of a fortified metropolis celebrating the glories of an ancient African trade hub and the limitless possibilities of the future.

Paradise Garden: The Wagner Garden Carpet from the Burrell Collection, Glasgow

A rare, monumental Persian carpet, on display in Canada for the first time, reveals the link between the words “paradise” and “garden.” 

Chrysalis | Olga Stefatou

Peer behind the headlines of the global refugee crisis with this series of portraits celebrating the individuality of migrant women in Greece.

Sanctuary

Contemplate our shared humanity in a space that explores the many dimensions of sanctuary through the work of 36 contemporary artists.
 

Museum Collections
Rotation Theme: Blue

The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From

Explore the post-migrant experience in this art project created by a collaboration between the Museum and the Benetton Foundation.

Ekow Nimako
Building Black: Civilizations

Enter an enchanted realm of small-scale LEGO® sculptures, featuring rogue queens, intrepid desert caravans, and terrifying Saharan scorpions.

Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time:
Art, Culture, and Exchange Across Medieval Saharan Africa

Travel back in time across the Sahara Desert and discover the thriving African empires that connected the medieval world

Museum Collections
Rotation Theme: Architecture

The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.

Our Sustainable Future:
Student Photography Exhibition

Enjoy the photography of a group of young Toronto students, documenting their vision for the world of tomorrow.

The Moon: A Voyage Through Time

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first human steps on the moon by discovering the wonder, knowledge, and beauty the moon has inspired through the ages.

Not Elsewhere | Sanaz Mazinani

Explore a free installation showcasing globally-celebrated artist Sanaz Mazinani’s kaleidoscopic visuals and rethink what you see.

Your Way Begins on the Other Side

Back by popular demand is Your Way Begins on the Other Side. This extraordinary tapestry was made using 1.2 million gold-plated steel pins by artist Aisha Khalid. Don’t miss the selected paintings and prints of Khalid’s renowned teacher, the artist Zahoor ul Akhlaq, “the father of contemporary Pakistani art,” whose life was tragically cut short. Finally, enjoy a rare viewing of a unique embroidered robe, gifted to the Museum by Princess Catherine Aga Khan from Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s personal collection.

The Museum as Studio: Kevork Mourad in Residence at the Aga Khan Museum

Artist Kevork Mourad transforms the temporary exhibition galleries with an immersive installation.

Transforming Traditions: The Arts of 19th-Century Iran

Bear witness to the complex dynamics that impacted the arts of a society at a crossroads between tradition and transformation during a century of turbulent change.

Emperors & Jewels: Treasures of the Indian Courts from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait

Experience the passion for opulence among the princes of India. Exquisite objects decorated with gems and carved from semi-precious stone reflect life at the courts.

Majma-ul-Bahrain, The Mingling of the (two) Oceans

Artist Javid a.k.a. JAH’s new exhibition in our Reflecting Pools explores sacred geometries.

SUSPENDED TOGETHER

Saudi women’s stories take wing in the installation Suspended Together. A flock of white doves in the Museum atrium represent an artist’s reponse to travel restrictions.

REFLECTIONS OF HOPE: AIDA MULUNEH IN THE AGA KHAN PARK

For the first time, the Aga Khan Park’s serene reflecting pools are transformed into a dramatic exhibition venue. This free outdoor art installation, presented in partnership with the Scotiabank

From Baghdad to Timbuktu: Libraries Rising from the Ashes

Throughout history, monuments, architecture, libraries and works of art have been subject to systematic damage and destruction in an attempt to erase knowledge and artistic achievements.

The World of the Fatimids

The World of the Fatimids bears witness to a remarkable dynasty that built the world’s oldest university, compiled one of its greatest libraries, and fostered a flowering of the arts and sciences. At its height in the 10th and 11th centuries, the Fatimids established one of the greatest civilizations in the world, influencing knowledge and culture throughout the Mediterranean, Europe, and the Near East.

Listening to Art, Seeing Music

Join us for a truly unique, multi-sensory experience as the Aga Khan Museum transforms into a mesmerizing world of music celebrating the living traditions of the Muslim world and their interaction with other cultures through time and space.

Parviz Tanavoli

Experience the work of Parviz Tanavoli, acclaimed Iranian-Canadian artist, at the Aga Khan Museum! Three of Tanavoli’s sculptures — Poet in Love, 2009; Big Heech, 2014; and Tanavoli’s most recent work, Horizontal Lovers, 2016 — are now in display in the Aga Khan Park. This not-to-be-missed temporary installation marks the first time that Tanavoli’s Horizontal Lovers, sculpted entirely from bronze, is on public display for all to enjoy.

Arts of the East: Highlights of Islamic Art from the Bruschettini Collection

Fall under the spell of rare objects that entranced the Renaissance masters! The Bruschettini Collection is renowned worldwide for its fine arts from the East — yet has never before been seen in North America. In a special exhibition exclusive to the Aga Khan Museum, discover a sumptuous selection of artworks.

HERE: Locating Contemporary Canadian Artists

What can an ancient Roman carving from the Museum’s Collection, reused and repurposed throughout time, tell us about being Canadian? The answers lie HERE. Experience Museum-wide installations of video, textiles, painting, and sculpture that convey the diversity of more than 20 artists. Think differently about identity this summer, and join us in celebrating Canada’s 150 years as a nation.

Skate Girls of Kabul

“It’s hard not to think of Afghan girls skateboarding as an unlikely clash of cultures. But when you see these children tearing around the skate park, shrieking with laughter, your preconceptions drop away... I hope that this collection captures something of their spirit: their joy in life, their individuality, and their community.” — Jessica Fulford-Dobson

Syrian Symphony: New Compositions in Sight and Sound

Syrian Symphony orchestrates music, painting, and media arts by some of Syria’s leading artists and musicians. Along with contributions from other organizations such as Iconem, Atassi Foundation, COSTI, and Silkroad, this exhibition explores the roles of art and artists during times of upheaval and conflict.

Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians

Cultural rebellion and lyrical reflection come together in this world-premiere exhibition showcasing one of the most important collections of contemporary Iranian art. Encounter the works of 23 artists who have chosen self-expression over silence — men and women separated by generations but united in their desire to explore complex issues against a backdrop of political and social unrest.

Syria: A Living History

Few countries have captured the world’s attention like Syria has today. Stories of conflict and displacement dominate the media and define people’s awareness of the place. Syria: A Living History brings together artifacts and artworks that tell a different story — one of cultural diversity, historical continuity, resourcefulness, and resilience. For over five millennia, this region perched on the eastern Mediterranean has witnessed great world civilizations comingling on its soil and producing art, literature, and culture that constitute the country’s rich legacy.

ÁLVARO SIZA: GATEWAY TO THE ALHAMBRA

A breathtaking gateway to Muslim civilizations in Europe, the Alhambra in Granada, Spain is an architectural masterpiece. How can a contemporary architect complement its design, adding a visitors’ centre for the millions of people who flock to the site each year? Discover the vision — and artistic challenge — of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza in this exciting exhibition. Álvaro Siza: Gateway to the Alhambra reveals the creative process and artistic genius of one of today’s greatest living architects.

Marvellous Creatures: Animals in Islamic Art

They roam the pages of countless legends, tales and fables, and have inspired artists for centuries. Meet the marvellous creatures of such classic literature as the Shahnameh and Kalila wa Dimna. Through an astonishing variety of media — including manuscripts, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, glass, and metalwork from the 7th to the 21st centuries — the exhibition Marvellous Creatures celebrates these real and mythical animals and illuminates the knowledge contained in their stories.

A City Transformed: Images of Istanbul Then and Now

The city we now know as Istanbul has been an important cultural and economic hub for centuries. Under its many guises — first as Byzantium, then Constantinople, and finally Kostantiniyye/Istanbul — this magnificent place has witnessed a succession of empires, the migration of peoples, and astounding urban growth.

ABBAS KIAROSTAMI: DOORS WITHOUT KEYS

Prepare yourself for a journey through memory and imagination with this remarkable installation piece by acclaimed Iranian photographer, poet, and filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. Walls and doors are both boundaries and barriers. Yet doors offer us hope of entry or of escape — hope for connection, for finding another world, for finding freedom. With this evocative premise, Abbas Kiarostami presents the world premiere of his installation piece, Doors Without Keys.

Home Ground: Contemporary Art from the Barjeel Art Foundation

Pushing boundaries, testing limits: this powerful exhibition from the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, UAE runs the gamut from photography to installation, sculpture to painting, and more. Experience the work of 12 Arab artists who examine how private life is shaped by current political events.

A Thirst for Riches: Carpets from the East in Paintings from the West

In an exclusive Canadian showing, A Thirst for Riches: Carpets from the East in Paintings from the West points to the active history of trade between Europe and Muslim civilizations while exploring how beautiful objects acquire new meanings as they are exchanged.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARMIDE

The Muslim and Christian worlds collide in Armide, an opera in which the invincible Christian knight Renaud and the Muslim warrior princess Armide play out their doomed love affair against a backdrop of hopeless obsession, jealousy, and magic.

Inspired by India: Paintings by Howard Hodgkin

British painter, printmaker, and collector Howard Hodgkin (b. 1932) has been passionate about Indian culture, geography, and history for most of his life. Given this passion and his frequent visits to the country over a period of some 50 years, it is not surprising that India has had a lasting influence on his own work. For viewers, tracing this inspiration through paintings spanning Hodgkin’s career is an exhilarating experience.

Visions of Mughal India: The Collection of Howard Hodgkin

The second half of the 16th century until the first half of the 19th century was a time of cultural merging that saw Persian themes, Indian colours, and Western influences find their way into Indian architecture and art.

The Lost Dhow: A Discovery from the Maritime Silk Route

In 1998, an Arab ship carrying goods from China was discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean off Belitung Island, Indonesia. Dating from the 9th century (China’s Tang Dynasty), the Belitung shipwreck is the earliest Arab vessel of this period to be found with a complete cargo, including silver ingots, bronze mirrors, spice-filled jars, intricately worked vessels of silver and gold, and thousands of ceramic bowls, ewers, and other vessels. Uncovering its mysterious origins reveals the interconnections between two great powers, the Tang and Abbasid Empires, whose influence collectively stretched from the East China Sea to North Africa.

The Garden of Ideas: Contemporary Art from Pakistan

Created for pleasure, spiritual reflection, and aesthetic contemplation, gardens have held many meanings. Beyond their beauty, they represent the human impulse to organize, contain, and collect the natural world. Without cultivation a garden would cease to exist. Similarly, without cultivation of the mind and the soul, it is believed a society cannot progress.

In Search of the Artist: Signed Drawings and Paintings from the Aga Khan Museum Collection

A lion at rest is captured in elegant strokes of black ink. The court of the epic King Keyomars is celebrated in vivid colours. A hero slaying a dragon is depicted in exquisite detail. The stellar works of art that make up the exhibition In Search of the Artist: Signed Drawings and Paintings from the Aga Khan Museum Collection depict a wide range of themes with extraordinary delicacy.