Cairo's Museum of Islamic Art showcases one of the largest and most impressive collections of Islamic artifacts, reflecting the rich history and culture of the Islamic world.
The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo is one of the world’s biggest and most comprehensive collections of Islamic artifacts. In 1880 AD, the concept for gathering and showcasing the impressive assemblage of relics was conceived. Ultimately, the structure was constructed and opened in 1903 AD in the Khedive Abbas Helmy ll district. The structure is next to the National Library of Egypt and has a Mamluk-style exterior.
The façade was damaged in 2014 after an explosion targeted the Cairo Security Directorate, the building across from it. In 2017, it was renovated and reopened. The two levels of the museum’s structure house an extensive collection of global objects spanning fields like architecture, medicine, and astronomy. Some of the most exquisite objects from every era of Islamic history are on exhibit in this enormous collection, which transports visitors across time. These consist of rare manuscripts, exquisitely designed ceramics, and well-carved woodwork.
Among the museum’s most noteworthy items are a cloth with the oldest Kufic inscription and a Mamluk key to the Ka’ba in Mecca.
The Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo. Egypt Tours Group.
where is the Museum of Islamic Art located?
The Museum of Islamic Art is located in Egypt, Cairo, in Bab El Khalq area.
The history of the Islamic art
Exhibition hall in the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo. Egypt Tours Group.
The notion of gathering Islamic artworks in one location is supposed to have started in the 1880s under the rule of Khedive Tawfiq. This is the background behind the Museum of Islamic Artworks. Thus, investigations were conducted, and several antiques were gathered and housed in the Al-Hakim and Fatimid mosques. However, in 1903, Khedive Abbas Helmy decided These art collections were moved to Al-Darb Al-Ahmar, which was then known as the Museum of Islamic Arts, by the second Khedive (both belonged to the Muhammad Ali dynasty).
When the museum was relocated to its current site, its collection of Islamic art was organized into around 23 halls, each with a section dedicated to a different era of the art. Islamic treasures spanning the seventh to the nineteenth centuries are housed in the museum to ensure that visitors won’t be misled or confuse history. The museum transports you to many Islamic eras across the globe. This trip covers a wide range of subjects. There are antiques on many topics, including architecture and medicine (which the Egyptians and Muslims adore). The museum is divided into sections that showcase various objects, each unique to its age and shown differently from the others. Examples of these items include jewelry, metals, woodwork, textiles, carpets, and pottery.
You would be mistaken if you believed that the museum solely included these items. In addition to these various subjects and artifacts with accompanying histories, the museum also has a library with literature on Islamic history, engineering, and art. The Museum of Islamic Arts does not disregard the fact that Islam is a religion that is practiced throughout the world and has existed for a variety of periods, including the Fatimid and Mamluk periods.
The museum has two entrances. One of them is found in the special section that showcases Islamic art from the Umayyad to the Abbasid periods. The other entrance is found in the Islamic Arts Department and is dedicated to nations like Turkey and this one. The Museum of Islamic Art is estimated to house around 100,000 antiquities from many nations and historical periods.
The key to the Ka’aba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which dates back to the Mamluk era, is one of the most renowned collections of the Museum of Islamic Arts for Muslims. As we have shown above, the museum covers a wide range of significant subjects and materials, each of which has its own area.
Renovations and the terrible mishap
A picture in the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo. Egypt Tours Group.
The Great Museum saw many renovations in the 1980s, the first of which included expanding the museum’s footprint to include two additional rooms and adding a park. Additionally, the museum underwent renovations in 2002 AD, overseen by French specialists.
A horrifying disaster that attempted to destroy the Cairo Security Directorate occurred in 2014 AD, in the middle of Egypt’s terrible current circumstances. However, whose structure faces the Cairo Security Directorate? The Museum of Islamic Art was unintentionally set on fire, but the art within was spared. Years later, in 2017, the museum reopened, and Islamic art is still displayed there.
There are two noteworthy facts regarding the Museum of Islamic Arts:
Firstly, it is regarded as one of the biggest museums related to Islamic art; some experts even claim it to be the largest museum of Islamic art worldwide.
Secondly, when the Muhammad Ali dynasty came to an end in 1952 AD, the Museum of Islamic Art was renamed from its original name, “Museum of Arab Art.”
