#MuseumWithoutWalls
Play and Learn
Date:
Last updated on July 8, 2022.
Keep your children engaged with hand-on activities that feed the mind and spark creativity.
On this page, you will find a host of kid-friendly worksheets and links to interactive Museum experiences — specially prepared by our talented Education team. Inspired by the Museum’s Collection and temporary exhibitions, these resources will help children and caregivers alike broaden their appreciation of the arts of Muslim civilizations, and beyond.
Identify the Birds!
Build an Image of Heroism
Piece together a 400-year-old image of a king fighting a dragon! The puzzle below contains a scene from the epic poem called Shahnameh, or Book of Kings, written over 1,000 years ago by the Persian poet, Firdausi. In the scene, a king named Bahram fights a dangerous dragon that lives both in the water and on land, can create huge waves in the sea, and has a tail that is powerful enough to hold an elephant! How would you describe a king who dared to fight such a gigantic and powerful dragon?
Discover more images of bravery and adventure in our IMAGE? The Power of the Visual exhibition, on display at the Museum until September 2022. Don't forget to check out our IMAGE? Family Site, with activities and interactions for kids!
Words of Sound and Music
This week, join us in revealing words of sound and music! Begin by exploring the objects and media found in the Aga Khan Museum's Look and Listen Trail by clicking here. What sounds did you enjoy listening to? How do the different rhythms make you feel? Then, challenge yourself to unscramble the given words related to sound and music in the activity below. Remember to go back to the Look and Listen Trail to find your answers!
Continue to explore our Sound and Music themed gallery rotation that encourages you to listen as you look, and find beauty in the sounds of everyday things.
Bring Home the Moon
Click here to download the instructions
Since ancient times, the moon has played an important role in science, religion and art. This week, join us in celebrating the moon, the sighting of which signals the declaration of the festival of Eid al-Fitr. First, look at a 400-year-old painting of a crescent moon. Then, using paper and a flashlight, create your own moon projections on the walls of your home.
Create your own digital design of a 700-year-old bowl
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to draw like you have 5 hands moving at the same time? Try out that feeling in this activity where you make a digital design inspired by a 700-year-old bowl!
First, explore the repeating pattern on a 14th-century bowl from Syria. Then, use the magic of an online sketching app to draw your own mirrored pattern, where each line you draw will automatically create other mirrored lines!
Click here to download the instructions
Draw your own bowl in celebration of Nowruz and Spring
Click here to download the activity
Spring is in the air! Join us in this activity to celebrate the first official day of spring on March 20 and learn about the annual celebration of Nowruz (Persian word for 'new day'), observed on the same day. Discover an 800-year-old dish from our Permanent Collection that was likely used to celebrate Nowruz. Then, draw your own dish and fill it with decorations to celebrate the coming of spring!
Don't forget to share your drawings with us at [email protected]
Family Day Activity
Share what you love doing with your family in this activity that inspires you to express yourself through art.
First, have a look at a 700-year-old painting that shows a father and daughter spending time together with a mysterious guest. Then, show us how you like to spend time with your family through a drawing. Do you like to do different things in the summer and winter? What kind of things do you like to do indoors and outdoors? Click here to download the activity.
Don't forget to share your drawings with us at [email protected]
Piece Together the Raga
Put together this puzzle of an 18th-century painting from India that evokes the emotions of the Hindola Raga, a musical mode associated with the early morning hours. As you work on the puzzle, click here to listen to Toronto-based artist Azalea Ray perform a raga inspired by this painting in a video commissioned by the Museum.
Discover more works of music inspired by our Collection on display in the Sound and Music rotation through our digital Look and Listen trail. This trail encourages you to take a closer look and listen to the art on display, while immersing you in music that is hundreds of years old.
Hindola Raga, a painting from a Ragamala series, Deccan, India, ca.1725, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, AKM923
Find Music in the Sounds of Nature
Nature is full of sounds. Outdoors in winters, we can often hear the howling of the wind, the cracking of ice and the creaking of trees weighed down by snow. We can also make the snow crunch under our boots and our stick tap against frozen ponds. What other sounds of nature can we hear and make? Watch the video below that encourages you to explore the tempo you can create using natural objects and the rhythms you can hear in the natural environment around you.
Then put these together to create your own unique collection of sounds or music! Continue your exploration of sounds and musical instruments through our Collection by visiting our Sound and Music themed installation, currently on display.
How does art make you feel?
We love interacting with art at the Aga Khan Museum! Our Museum community expresses themselves through art, contemplates the world through art, and most importantly, feels the human experience through art. So, join us in building a garden made up of our expressions, inspired by our Rust Garden exhibition!
Share how interacting with art makes you feel by clicking here. Then, check out what others in our community feel by scrolling to the word garden shown below. Watch the garden bloom and grow as it is nurtured by more participants.
Family Activity: Sounds in a Painting
Have you ever listened to a painting before? Have you ever Imagined hearing the melodies, the voices, the taps, clinks and thumps made inside a painting? Now's your chance! In this activity, enter a musical performance in 19th-century India and try to identify the sounds hidden in the scene. You have been given labels that describe the sounds heard inside this painting. Match the labels to the correct section of the painting and drag them to the given points. Can you think of any other sounds you would hear inside this painting?
Featured artwork: Musicians and Dancers performing before Sher Singh (r. 1807–1843), India, Amritsar, 1874, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, 33.5 cm × 50.5 cm, AKM202
Family Activity: A Scribe's Tools
What is your favourite writing tool – is it your ballpoint pen, your mechanical pencil or something else? Do you know how long this type of tool has been used? Did your parents, grandparents and great grandparents use this writing tool too? Search for the answers to these questions through an activity that allows you to investigate like a historian and record like a scribe. First, explore a collection of writing tools that were likely someone else's favourite tools 300 years ago! Then, re-discover your own favourite writing tools in a new way.
Click here to download the activity.
Want to know more about the works of scribes along the silk roads? Explore our ongoing exhibition Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads, which celebrates the written word along the roads of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Family Activity: Music on Your Desk
Do you know which North African musical instrument is believed to be the grandfather of the bass? Find out as you enjoy the music of this instrument played by Algerian musician Fethi Nadjem in a performance recorded for the Aga Khan Museum. Then, bring this beautifully designed musical instrument to life through a cardboard cutout activity!
Click here to download the instructions.
Continue your exploration of global tunes through our new Sound and Music themed installation that encourages you to listen as you look, to discover melodies from the past and to find beauty in the sounds of everyday things.
Silk Road Word Jumble
The silk roads of Asia, Europe and Africa were exciting places where things like languages, ideas, art styles and books were exchanged. These were places where words had power! Scribes and artists wrote important documents, created records of new places they explored, and designed beautiful manuscripts with beautiful writing tools. Inspired by the books of the silk roads, can you unjumble the words associated with books and the art of writing? Use the given clues to guess the correct word, and click and drag the letters to spell it.
Want to know more about books on the silk roads? Click here to explore our ongoing exhibition Hidden Stories: Books Along the Silk Roads, which explores the exchanges along the silk roads.
Family Puzzle of the Week
The painters of The Man Strays from His Course had to use their imagination when translating complex concepts on ethics into beautiful illustrations. This manuscript is not like the fables, epics, or love stories that are so common of the time. In this week's Family Activity, see if you can use your imagination in piecing together the puzzle to re-create this unique manuscript.
Family Art Activity: Sculpt Your Own Masterpiece
What is a peacock doing on a 1,000-year-old bowl in the Museum’s Collection? Find out and then, using playdough or clay, create a sculpted masterpiece of your own.
Download the instructions here.
Family Puzzle of the Week: Two Elephants
Are they playing, fighting, or racing? Piece together an action-packed scene featuring two elephants locked in struggle as spectators cheer them on!
Click here to learn more about this illustration from the Museum's Permanent Collection.
Family Activity: Play With Words
This week’s Family Activity is all about frolicking and fun! Look closely at a colourful 16th-century painting, then tell a story about its scenes of play.
Click here to download the instructions.
Family Puzzle
This month’s puzzle is a maritime adventure from a spectacular 15th-century manuscript of the Shahnameh. Join the crew of the courageous Iranian king Kay Khusrau as he chases his mighty Turanian rival, Afrasiyab!
Continuous Line Drawing
Family Puzzle of the Week
A new day has dawned! Celebrate our recent reopening with this gorgeous puzzle of the Museum gleaming in the early morning light.
Family Activity: Design Your Own Sundial
Family Activity: Faridun Tests his Sons
Put the puzzle pieces together to help Faridun reveal his son’s true characters by disguising himself as a fire-breathing dragon. Then, learn about the story behind the folio Faridun Tests his Sons.
Click here to piece together the puzzle.
| Faridun Tests his Sons | |||
Family Activity: Design Your Ideal Garden
Flowers and fountains like the ones in this painting are featured in large-scale ornamental gardens all over the world. Many of these parks, including the one next to the Aga Khan Museum, borrow a famous design called the chahar bagh (meaning four gardens).The chahar bagh is a Persian and Mughal Indian garden design that is built around rectangular pools or fountains.
Using these gardens as inspiration, design your own by drawing pools, flowers, fountains, animals, and wherever your imagination takes you! Download the instructions here, and then email your final creations to [email protected]
Family Activity: Match the Vessels
Our Museum Collection is full of intriguing and breathtaking items from Islamic civilizations throughout the ages, not to mention the stories that exist within each! In this week’s Family Activity, match the vessels from our collection while learning about their rich history.
Family Activity: Piece Together the Puzzle
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The painters of The Man Strays from His Course had to use their imagination when translating complex concepts on ethics into beautiful illustrations. This manuscript is not like the fables, epics, or love stories that are so common of the time.
In this week's Family Activity, see if you can use your imagination in piecing together the puzzle to re-create this unique manuscript. Too easy? Level up!
| The Man Strays from His Course | |||
Family Activity: Match the Flowers
Help the flowers find their way home in this week's Family Activity matching game!
Click here to learn more and play.
Family Activity of the Week: Look Closer
Get your creativity blooming for Mother's Day in our family activity of the week! Discover the story behind a flower-inspired Persian poem written by Hafiz more than 700 years ago while creating your own card for whoever you hold dear.
Click here to learn more and design your own.
Family Puzzle of the Week: Musical Entertainment
Help the music master put on a show and direct his ensemble of musicians by piecing together our Puzzle of the Week. Try difficulty levels from Easy to Fiendish!
Curious about the image? This lively painting comes from a 16th-century Iranian manuscript of the Ethics of Nasir, one that was featured in the recent Museum exhibition Remastered.
| Musical Entertainment | |||
Family Activity of the Week: Leafy Letters
Plant a leafy forest using the letters of your own name! Start by learning about an ancient, nature-inspired style of calligraphy, and then try it out for yourself. Go here for the instructions.
Family Puzzle of the Week: Rustam Rescues Bizhan from the Pit
You, too, can be a hero! Try your hand at our Puzzle of the Week, and help the mighty Rustam rescue the warrior Bizhan from a dark pit. Did you know the image comes from a 350-year-old manuscript painting in the Museum’s Collection?
| Rustam Rescues Bizhan from the Pit | |||
Family Activity of the Week: Match the Birds
Let your imagination take flight with this bird-themed matching game! Test your memory and discover some of the beautiful winged creatures in our Museum Collection.
Family Craft of the Week: Design Your Own Flower Tile
Let your creativity bloom as your craft your own floral tile inspired by a gorgeous 15th-century Syrian artifact in the Museum’s Collection. Go here for the instructions, and then get started!
Family Craft of the Week: Get Ready for Spring!
Spring is in full bloom in this week’s Family Activity. Get crafty and paint a picture-perfect garden inspired by gorgeous floral patterns in the Museum’s Collection! Click here for the instructions.
Family Puzzle of the Week: Various Medical Opinions
Is there a doctor in the house? Reconstruct the lively gathering of medical experts depicted in this painting from a 17th-century manuscript from the Kulliyat of Sa'di.
| Various Medical Opinions | |||
Family Craft of the Week: Make a Sundial
The stars have aligned for our latest Family Craft of the Week! Grab a paper plate or piece of paper, scissors, a stick, and a few markers to create your own sundial inspired by a 700-year-old astrolabe in the Museum’s Collection. Click here for the instructions, and then get started.
Puzzle of the Week: Majnun in the Wilderness
Piece together a 16th-century manuscript painting of the lovelorn character Majnun befriending animals in the wilderness. Then, delve deeper into the masterpiece to find out why he sought refuge in nature in the first place!
| Majnun in the Wilderness | |||
Family Art Activity: Let the Colours Play
How about a splash of colour to brighten your week? Feast your eyes on vibrant plates in the Museum's Collection, then create a masterpiece of your own. You’ll need a coffee filter or paper towel, washable markers, and a glass of water. Take a look at the instructions, and get started!
Family Art Activity: Decorate Your Mug or Plate
Have you had your recommended daily serving of art? Our Education team has dished out a new activity — this one inspired by a 10th-century Iranian plate in our Collection. Follow the instructions to make a beautiful mug or dish of your own! Go here for the instructions.
Puzzle of the Week: A Prince Visits a Dervish
This week's puzzle is fit for a prince! Piece together a painting — of a young royal visiting a dervish — from a 16th-century manuscript of the Divan (Collected Works) of Sultan Ibrahim Mirza. When you're done, go here to learn more about this delightful work of art.
| A Prince Visits a Dervish | |||
Family Activity of the Week: Stories in the Stars
What stories are written in the stars? Feast your eyes on a “stellar” artifact in our Collection. Then, let us know what you think might be going — the more imaginative the tale, the better! Click here for instructions to help you get started.
Puzzle of the Week: A Spring Gathering in the Garden
Spring may be months away, but it’s in full bloom in our Family Puzzle of the Week. Piece together a glorious banquet from a 16th-century painting in the manuscript of the Divan (Collected Works) of Sultan Ibrahim Mirza.
| Folio from a double-page finispiece, from a manuscript of the Collected Works (Divan) of Sultan Ibrahim Mirza | |||
Family Craft of the Week: Create Your Own Fantastic Creature
Unleash your inner artist with this week's #MuseumWithoutWalls Family Activity. Get inspired by mythical creatures in our Collection, and then create a fantastical beast of your own! Click here for the instructions.
Family Craft of the Week: Paint a Rainbow
Celebrate all the colours of the rainbow with our latest #MuseumWithoutWalls Family Activity of the Week. All you need is a clear glass of water, markers or pencil crayons, and a little bit of light! Go here to read the instructions, and then get going on the fun!
Puzzle of the Week: The King on His Throne Regarding His Three Songs
Heavy is the head that wears the crown! Assemble a king’s court as you piece together a 16th-century Iranian manuscript painting of a famous Rumi poem. Go here to learn more about the original artwork!
| The King on His Throne Regarding His Three Songs | |||
Family Craft of the Week: Draw Your Favourite Tile
The beauty’s in the details in our Family Craft of the Week. Feast your eyes on two gorgeous floral tiles from 17th-century Iran, then create an eye-catching wall decoration of your own! Go here for the instructions.
Puzzle of the Week: Rustam Fighting Puladvand and His Army of Divs
Are you brave enough to attempt this week's Family Puzzle? Piece together a colourful illustration of the battle between Rustam, the mighty Iranian hero, and Puladvand and his army of demons.
| Rustam Fighting Puladvand and His Army of Divs | |||
Puzzle of the Week: Gushtap Slays the Dragon of Mount Saqila
Help defeat the Dragon of Mount Saqila as you complete our Puzzle of the Week. Piece together this incredible scene, which comes from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp.
| Gushtap Slays the Dragon of Mount Saqila | |||
Family Activity: Inspired by Nature
Fall in love with Mother Nature all over again with this week’s #MuseumWithoutWalls Family Activity. Pen your own nature-inspired poem, or use beautiful objects you find outside to represent how you feel about a loved one. Go here to download the instructions!
Puzzle of the Week: Falconer on a Horse in a Meadow
Our Puzzle of the Week boasts a horse-riding falconer riding through a meadow. Put the pieces together, then see how many different animals you can spot in the completed pictured!
Like last week's puzzle, the image comes from a lacquer book cover from 19th-century Iran. It would once have contained the pages of a manuscript, but unfortunately, the book's contents remain a mystery to us!
| Falconer on a Horse in a Meadow | |||
Puzzle of the Week: A Youth and a Young Dervish in Conversation
Our Puzzle of the Week depicts a conversation between a youth, possibly a young prince, and a wandering young dervish. What do you think they’re talking about?
The image comes from a lacquer book cover from 19th-century Iran. It would once have contained the pages of a manuscript, but unfortunately, the book's contents remain a mystery to us!
| A Youth and a Young Dervish in Conversation | |||
Puzzle of the Week: Entertainment in a Palace Garden
As you put together our Puzzle of the Week — featuring a truly spectacular painting from 18th-century India — marvel at how many flowers and plants sprout up on every piece.
| Entertainment in a Palace Garden | |||
Puzzle of the Week: The King Who Forgave the Man Who Cursed Him
Forgiveness is the message of this unforgettable painting in the Museum's Collection. Piece together the image, which comes from a 17th-century manuscript of the Kulliyat (Collected Works) of the 13th-century poet Sa'di.
| The King Who Forgave the Man Who Cursed Him | |||
Puzzle of the Week: A Prince and His Beloved
Love is in the air in this week’s puzzle. Piece together the idyllic scene from A Prince and His Beloved, a 17th-century painting in the Museum’s Collection.
| A Prince and His Beloved | |||
Family Activity for Week of September 7
The Museum’s Family Craft of the Week encourages you to play with your food — and make eye-catching art from it, too.
Go here to read the instructions and to learn about a couple feasting-themed masterpieces in our Collection.
Puzzle of the Week: Princely Pleasures in a Garden
While the princely figure listening to music may have been the intended main subject of this glorious painting, the spectacularly colourful animals steal the show. Reassemble the lush scene — from a watercolour from 18th-century India — with our latest Puzzle of the Week.
| Princely Pleasures in a Garden | |||
Family Sunday activity for August 16
All over the Museum, you’ll find examples of the mashrabiya, a kind of geometric-patterned window screen popular across the Islamic world. Using this video as your guide, make your own personalized mashrabiya design and decorate your creation with a message inspired by the Sanctuary exhibition!
Family Sunday activity for August 9
Looking for ideas for your next arts-and-crafts adventure? The Museum’s Collection is a “fountain” of inspiration. Using one of the grandest artifacts in our main gallery as a muse, construct your own pan flute from easy-to-find materials. Watch the video below for the instructions!
Puzzle of the Week: A Prince Meets a Sage
There’s more to life than reaching a destination. We can learn so much from the people we cross paths with along the way.
As you are solving this puzzle — a 17th-century painting from India showing a horse-riding prince encountering a wise man or sage — take a moment to think about the friends you’ve made in your life. What important lessons have you learned from them, and what have they learned from you?
| A Prince Meets a Sage | |||
Family Sunday activity for July 26
Dance your eyes across the patterns and shapes on a 15th-century Iranian door in the Museum's Collection. Inspired by what you see, create your own geometric masterpiece using pencil crayons, paper, and your imagination. Watch the video below to get started!
Puzzle of the Week: Painting of the Asavari Musical Mode
When you hear wordless music, what do you see? The 18th-century painting above is an artist's visual interpretation of the Asavari mode, a traditional melodic framework in Indian classical music.
Complete the picture and learn about the fascinating genre it belongs to!
| Painting of the Asavari Musical Mode | |||
Family Sunday activity for July 12
Reunite two shepherds with their flock as you piece together our Puzzle of the Week. And learn more about the vibrant 17th-century Iranian painting it comes from — an elaborate work by Iranian artist Ali Quli Jabbadar.
| Two Shepherds with Sheep and Goats | |||
Family Sunday activity for July 5
Our Family Sunday activity this week is as smooth as silk. Watch this video to learn about silkworms, silk moths, and how silk is made. Then, discover how to make a silkworm of your very own!
Rhythms of Canada: Storytelling with Armaan
In their Canada Day children’s storytelling video, our friend Armaan and special guest Aadil take you on an alphabetical tour of iconic Canadian people, places, animals, and pastimes! Thanks, you two, for reading for us from the colourful picture book ABC of Canada, written by Kim Bellefontaine and illustrated by Per-Henrik Gürth.
Family Sunday activities for June 28
Our latest puzzle reveals a grateful poet in conversation with his patron. What do you think they’re talking about? Go here to put the pieces together — and discover fun facts about this glorious work of art from 17th-century India.
Plus: Deceit is dangerous! That’s a key take-home message of the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals.
Join our friend Armaan as he shares more exciting escapades of the book’s title characters, Kalilah and Dimnah.
Family Sunday activities for June 21
This Family Sunday, match the colourful flowers — and learn about the vibrant masterworks they sprouted from — with this nature-themed game of Memory Card.
And, in his latest storytelling segment for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, our friend Armaan shares another tale from the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals that channels the awesome power and beauty of nature.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday activities for June 14
This Sunday, piece together a joyous royal wedding with this puzzle of a vibrant painting from a 17th-century Iranian manuscript of the Shahnameh (Book of Kings).
And, in his latest storytelling video, our friend Armaan delivers another action-packed tale from the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals.
Storytelling with Armaan: More tales from Two Crafty Jackals
Armaan returns with two more adventures from the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals. At the end, he invites you to have a conversation with your family about what has given you hope during these times.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday activities for June 7
For this week's Family Sunday activity, discover the art of geometry and learn how to make eye-catching patterns of your own! Get started by watching this short instruction video featuring beautiful works from our Collection.
And, solve this word search and soak up exciting phrases and ideas inspired by our Collection. Your Silk Route journey starts here.
Puzzle of the Week: Enthronement Scene with Shah Rahmin and Mah-Pervin
Reunited and it feels so good! Put the pieces together of this puzzle, which depicts the moment of euphoric reunion between hero and heroine — Shah Rahmin and Mah-Pervin — on the island of Khurremabad. The magnificent artwork appears in a 16th-century Ottoman manuscript of Tuhfet ul-Leta'if (Curious and Witty Gifts).
| Enthronement Scene with Shah Rahmin and Mah-Pervin | |||
Storytelling with Armaan: Grandma's List
In this weekend’s instalment of Storytelling with Armaan, our gallant narrator reads from the funny and heartwarming children’s book Grandma’s List, by Ghanaian author Portia Dery and South African illustrator Toby Newsome.
Family Sunday activities for May 31
Teamwork makes the dream work in our latest Family Sunday art activity. Collaborate with your child on a spectacular manuscript illustration you can hang on your fridge. Watch the Museum’s Bita Pourvash and her daughter, Vista, show off how it’s done.
Whether by yourself or with someone else, try to find all the image-themed expressions in this pattern-themed word search!
Puzzle of the Week: Match the Faces memory game
You can’t paint all Muslim cultures, nor their styles of dress, with the same brush. That’s the theme of our newest Memory Card game for the #MuseumWithoutWalls. Pair the headwear-clad characters from centuries-old artworks in our Museum Collection — and learn a little bit more about these figures along the way. You may be surprised about what their hat, headdress, or turban says about who they were, where they came from, and the ages in which they lived.
Go here to play the Match the Faces Memory Card game.
Storytelling with Armaan: The Gardener and the Nightingale
For the latest instalment of Storytelling with Armaan, our gallant narrator returns to the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals, sharing the tale of the Gardener and the Nightingale. Take in the story, and stick around to see Armaan’s own drawings of the book’s main characters, Kalilah and Dimna.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday activities for May 24
Inspired by the playful, street art-infused style of French-Tunisian creator eL Seed, our Family Sunday craft will have you mixing up words and jumbling your letters. Watch the video below to get started!
Then, keep the wordplay going with a fun, calligraphy-themed word search.
Puzzle of the Week: A Workshop in a Mughal Emperor's Court
Attempt our Puzzle of the Week alone or with someone else. Either way, collaboration is on full display in the finished picture — of a manuscript-making team toiling in the courtyard of a Mughal emperor's palace.
| A Court Atelier | |||
Storytelling with Armaan: The Origins of Rustam the Hero
In his latest video for the #MuseumWithoutWalls, our friend Armaan intrigues with origin stories of the hero Rustam, from a Museum-commissioned children's illustrated storybook of the Shahnameh.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday Meet the Curator conversation on May 17
This Sunday, venture into a world of larger-than-life heroes and their extraordinary feats during a Meet the Curator conversation on Facebook Live. The Museum’s Dr. Michael Chagnon will regale your family with stories of bravery from the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) and reveal his Object of the Week — a bold illustration from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp.
The best way to experience the adventure is by heading over to our Facebook page, but the stream will be available on this page, too. The journey starts at 11:30 am ET or just after!
Puzzle of the Week: Sea Serpent Swallows the Royal Fleet
This illustration, from 17th-century southern India, belongs to a romantic tale whose characters, throughout the narrative, travel to faraway lands where they are embroiled in daring escapades. No matter what kind of strange or perilous situation they might encounter, the navy depicted here has fearlessly set forth in a spirit of adventure.
Stir up your courage and try your hand at solving the puzzle. Can you complete the picture?
| Sea Serpent Swallows the Naval Fleet Puzzle | |||
Storytelling with Armaan: More adventures with Kalila and Dimna
Our trusty narrator, Armaan, returns with new adventures from the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals. Gather the family around for two more parables starring Kalila and Dimna.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday activities for May 10
What is in your universe? Inspired by a space-themed design in the Sanctuary exhibition, this Family Sunday art activity challenges you to think about your place in the world and creatively imagine the universe that surrounds it. Watch the video below for the instructions!
For an adventure firmly planted on Earth, try this word search inspired by the Silk Route.
Puzzle of the Week: The Art of Chivalry
Are you brave to attempt our Puzzle of the Week? This watercolour of The Art of Chivalry comes from a 16th-century manuscript of the Akhlaq-I Nasir (Ethics of Nasis), written by the 13th-century Persian thinker Nasir al-Din Tusi for Nasir al-Din ‘Abd al-Rahim, the Ismaili ruler of Quhistan in northeastern Iran. The manuscript was created in Lahore, in what is now Pakistan.
More information about this striking piece of art is available here.
| THE ART OF CHIVALRY PUZZLE | |||
Storytelling with Armaan: The Scorpion and the Tortoise
In the latest instalment of Storytelling with Armaan, our narrative ventures further into the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals. Settle in for the tale of the Scorpion and the Tortoise.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Family Sunday activities for May 3
This Sunday, design your own private oasis with a fun art activity inspired by the Wagner Garden Carpet, on loan to the Aga Khan Museum from the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, Scotland. How many friendly critters, leafy trees, and calming canals you pencil into your paradise is completely up to you! Watch the video below for instructions on how to get started.
Or, engage your mind in a different way with this nature-themed game of Memory Card. Match the animal pictures and learn about the paintings where they appear.
Match the Geometric Patterns memory game
Did you know geometric patterns have long been a popular motif in Islamic art?
Match up the rich patterns that appear in the Museum’s Collection, and learn about the paintings they came from, by playing this game of Memory.
Storytelling with Armaan: The Hare and the Lion
For this Sunday’s edition of Storytelling with Armaan, our trusty narrator treats us to the tale of the Hare and the Lion, from the Museum-commissioned children’s book Two Crafty Jackals. Click the video below to listen to the story.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
Family Sunday activities for April 26
This Sunday, embrace the boundless possibility of patterns with a new art activity prepared by our Education team. Watch the video below to learn the instructions, and then get started!
Or, find beauty in simplicity with this week’s colouring sheet, an elegantly dressed women depicted in a watercolour from 1820s northern India.
Match the Vessels memory game
You can count on the Museum’s Education team to “dish” out fun learning activities that engage the mind and treat players to beautiful art from our Collection.
Case in point: try your hand — or rather your memory — at this matching game showcasing beautiful centuries-old food-serving vessels and dishware. Can you pair them all?
Family Sunday activities for April 19
This Family Sunday, connect the dots with a Museum-inspired art activity celebrating what brings us together. Watch the video below to discover the origins and meaning behind the Museum’s logo — which we lovingly call the Knot. Then, create your own continuous-line drawing, a pencil-and-paper illustration of how we’re all connected.
Is colouring more your speed? This week’s colouring activity sheet presents a romantic scene from the Kulliyat (Collected Works) of the Persian poet Sa’di. Download the Prince Stands Before a Garden Pavilion Where His Beloved Awaits colouring sheet here (PDF).
Story Time: More adventures of Kalila and Demna
In the third instalment of Storytelling with Armaan, learn what happens next to Kalila and Demna, the main characters in the Museum-commissioned children's book Two Crafty Jackals.
Author Elizabeth Laird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Puzzle of the Week
Try your hand at our latest Puzzle of the Week. The completed picture is an astounding 16th-century watercolour from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp. It depicts the court of King Kayumars, the first royal the 11th-century Persian poet Firdausi describes in his epic the Shahnameh (Book of Kings).
According to Firdausi, the very idea of kingship originated with King Kayumars, who ruled for 30 years, overseeing a peaceable kingdom where men wore leopard-skin robes and wild animals grew tame.
| THE COURT OF KING KAYUMARS | |||
Family Sunday activities for April 12
Bring scenes of spring to life with two fun activities inspired by nature-themed art in the Museum’s Collection.
Watch the video below to learn about materials humans used centuries ago to concoct vibrant paints and dyes. Then, create your own colourful work of art tying into the bold outfit and lush surroundings of a young man who appears in a painting in the Museum’s Collection.
This Sunday’s colouring sheet depicts a lively scene of a mountain goat galloping through a forest or meadow. Beautify the picture with the colours you think appear in the original — a painting in a 15th-century manuscript from Iran — or go wild with out-of-this-world tints and shades. Download the colouring sheet for Sunday, April 12 here (PDF).
Story Time: Armaan dives deeper into Two Crafty Jackals
For the latest edition of Story Time with Armaan, our gallant narrator dives deeper into Two Crafty Jackals. Find out what happens next in this kid-friendly tale of animal intrigue.
Commissioned by the Museum, the 2014 children's book Two Crafty Jackals was penned by author Elizabeth Baird and illustrated by artist Sadiqi Beg. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for sharing his storytelling skills with us once again. We warmly appreciate it!
Puzzle of the Week: Haftvad and the Worm
Put the pieces together to reveal a bustling scenescape from the Shanahmeh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp. Dating from mid-16th-century Iran, the image for this puzzle depicts the legendary tale of Haftvad and the Worm.
The patriarch of a modest family, Haftvad had seven sons and one daughter. According to lore, one day while taking a break from spinning silk, Haftvad’s daughter bit into an apple containing a magical worm. The creature mysteriously granted her the ability to produce greater and greater quantities of fabric — a twist of fate that would bring Haftvad and his family enormous wealth and power and change the course of their lives forever.
| FOLIO FROM THE SHAHNAMEH OF SHAH TAHMASP | |||
Two Travellers colouring activity
Colour in a scene from the Manuscript of Anvar-i Suhayli, which comes from 16th-century Iran. Then, send your masterpiece to [email protected] and tell us what you think the two travellers are chatting about. We'll share some creative responses to our social channels.
Download the Two Travellers colouring activity (PDF) here.
Story Time: Two Craft Jackals video
In the inaugural edition of Story Time with Armaan, our trusty narrator reads from Two Crafty Jackals, a 2014 children’s book commissioned by the Museum. It’s a playful retelling of animal-themed fables that arose in India 2,000 years ago and then travelled across continents and centuries, delighting generations of families along the way.
Author Elizabeth Baird wrote the text and illustrator Sadiqi Beg created the book’s rich visuals. Though it is currently out of print, you can buy an e-book of Two Crafty Jackals at Amazon.ca.
We thank Armaan, a long-time member of the Museum family, for taking time out of his schedule to regale us with his storytelling. Great job, Armaan!
Don't Ask Me Where I'm From art activity
Calling all budding artists: Create a piece of conceptual art as unique as you are.
For the exhibition Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From, artist Liberty Battson invented a game using multi-coloured pyramids placed on a grid. There are billions upon billions of patterns players can fashion — a reminder that our cultural traditions, the places where we grow up, and the people in our lives can influence us in diverse and unexpected ways.
Draw your own Battson-inspired design following the steps prepared by our Education team. Download the Don't Ask Me Where I'm From activity sheet here.
Puzzle of the Week: Help Rustam Defeat the Dragon
This week’s puzzle comes from the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Ismail II. The scene shows the hero Rustam doing battle with a fire-breathing dragon. (Famously, Rustam had help from his trusty stallion, Rakhsh.)
Can you help Rustam and Rakhsh defeat the dragon? Solve the puzzle to bring the protagonist one step closer to victory.
| FOLIO FROM THE SHAHNAMEH OF SHAH ISMAIL II | |||
Family Sunday Activity: Make a Flatweave Rug
Watch the video below to learn how to weave a miniature carpet — and then make one of your own!
This family-friendly activity is inspired by the Museum’s Sanctuary exhibition, a collection of traditionally woven rugs featuring designs by leading global artists.
Downloadable instructions (PDF) are available here.
Be a History Detective activity sheet
Help solve a mystery! Study the vibrant colours and patterns on two painted tiles from 17th-century Iran, then complete the picture by drawing what you think the rest of the scene looks like. Download our Be a History Detective activity sheet (PDF) here.
Discover Your Sanctuary activity sheet
What does the word “sanctuary” mean to you? Is it a safe haven, a sacred place, a beautiful view, a special person, or something different entirely?
For the exhibition Sanctuary, 36 leading artists each created a design based upon their own interpretation of the theme. Then, craftspeople in Lahore, Pakistan, wove the designs into carpets using traditional techniques.
This activity introduces you to some of the rugs in this thought-provoking exhibition — and encourages you to make sanctuary-inspired art of your own! Great for all ages.
Learn and engage with our Discover Your Sanctuary activity sheet.
Rustam and the Dragon activity sheet
Keep your children engaged with a fun #MuseumFromHome activity specially prepared by our Education team. Read a story written 1,000 years ago about the hero Rustam, then make a piece of art inspired by the Museum’s paintings of that story — great for pre-school to Grade 3 (and beyond)!
Download the Rustam and the Dragon activity sheet (PDF) here.
Enjoy digital puzzles for all ages!
| FOLIO FROM THE SHAHNAMEH | |||
