Two new temporary exhibitions have opened at the Museum of Islamic Art which aim to inspire young people in Qatar to get more involved in science.
1001 Inventions invites visitors to get hands-on with scientific history. The free exhibition uses interactive displays to show how Muslim scholars from the 7th to 17th centuries (the so-called ‘Golden Age’ of Muslim civilisation) made huge inroads in scientific understanding.
The exhibition promises lots of great hands-on experiences for kids:
“Use a replica of the world’s first camera to understand how we see, meet the first person to brave a rocket-powered flight, and even learn how predicting the moon’s pattern for Ramadan led to superior innovations in astronomy”, says the MIA on its website.
The show was named “best touring exhibition of the year” at the Museums and Heritage Excellence Awards last year. It has visited London, New York, Los Angeles, Istanbul and Washington DC.
It’s housed in a marquee on the MIA grounds, and is open from 5pm to 10:30pm on weekdays, from 2pm to 10.30pm on Fridays and from noon to 10:30pm on Saturdays. It’s closed on Tuesdays.
The exhibition runs until the 12th of November.
Running alongside 1001 inventions, Arabick Roots, which premiered at the Royal Society in London in 2011, showcases the interest Western scholars have always had in the science and philosophy of the East.
The exhibition has 100 manuscripts and objects on show, spanning the 9th to the 19th centuries.
One example is a letter from the British Ambassador of Tripoli, providing reassurance about the safe practice of inoculations in the Muslim world. The letter was sent during the smallpox epidemic in England in the 18th century – and it helped persuade the British that inoculation was a safe way of controlling the spread of the illness.
Arabick Roots is on the 1st floor of the MIA, and entry is 25QR per person.
It’s open onSunday, Monday and Wednesday from 10:30am to 5:30pm, Thursday from noon to 8pm, Friday from 2pm to 8pm and Saturday from noon to 8pm, closed on Tuesdays.
The exhibition will run until the 19th of January next year.
Will you be going along?
Credit: Images courtesy of MIA
